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Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

Seahawks To Trade Michael Jerrell To Falcons

August 26th, 2025 at 11:11am CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons lost Kaleb McGary and Storm Norton last week, and neither is expected to be available to start the season. As a result, Atlanta will add some help at tackle.

Michael Jerrell is heading from Seattle to Atlanta via trade, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The Falcons are sending a conditional 2027 seventh-rounder to the Seahawks for Jerrell, who has three years remaining on his rookie contract.

A 2024 sixth-round pick, Jerrell was part of the Seahawks’ right tackle carousel last season. The Seahawks played much of the year without starter Abraham Lucas, and George Fant landed on IR twice. Stone Forsythe also spent time on IR, creating a depth problem opposite Charles Cross. As a result, Jerrell was summoned for three rookie-year starts. He played 245 offensive snaps last season — all at right tackle. That is the place at which the Falcons are currently reeling.

Norton is expected to miss between six and eight weeks, while McGary — after being carted off the practice field last week — is a candidate to open the season on IR. The Falcons had slid former Broncos swing tackle (turned Bears and Falcons guard option) Elijah Wilkinson back outside following the injuries. Jerrell will provide another option for the NFC South team, which employs one of the NFL’s two left-handed starting QBs, amplifying the importance of the RT spot.

The Seahawks drafted Jerrell 207th overall from Division II Findlay (Ohio). The long-odds prospect did enough to make the team and stick on Seattle’s active roster throughout last season. Lucas is back for the Seahawks, after two injury-marred years, and the team both added Josh Jones in free agency and used a sixth-round pick on tackle Bryce Cabeldue. Teams have until 3pm CT today to set 53-man rosters, and the Falcons will have another option as they potentially prepare for multiple tackle IR stashes.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/23/25

August 23rd, 2025 at 9:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

  • Signed: CB Garnett Hollis Jr.
  • Waived-injured: S Wande Owens
  • Released from IR: RB Jarveon Howard

Added earlier this month, Hanson suffered an undisclosed injury during Atlanta’s preseason finale yesterday. The 28-year-old being moved to IR now – and thus before using the designated for return option introduced in 2024 becomes a possibility – means he will miss the entire season. Hanson was not a lock to make the Falcons’ roster, of course, but his absence will add further to the team’s absences up front with starting right tackle Kaleb McGary set to miss time.

Falcons Conduct First Wave Of Roster Cuts

August 23rd, 2025 at 7:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Tuesday’s roster deadline approaching, the Falcons have begun making required cuts. These 12 players were let go on Saturday:

Released:

Waived:

Fox signed with Atlanta early in free agency, and the veteran appeared to be slated to handle a role along the defensive line as a result. Somewhat surprisingly, though, he has been released. Fox played in all three of the team’s preseason contests, a sign he was on the roster bubble. The 30-year-old will now hit the market in search of his next opportunity (which will no doubt present itself after final cuts are made and teams sort out their initial rosters).

DiNucci signed on Monday and by doing so provided the Falcons with a contributor under center for their preseason finale. Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins sat out the contest in preparation for their respective roles as starter and backup in 2025. Unless he is retained via the practice squad, DiNucci will need to look elsewhere while aiming to latch onto an NFL roster.

As a result of today’s moves, the Falcons are down to 77 players on their roster. Like every other team, they will need to bring that total to 53 by Tuesday afternoon.

Falcons RT Kaleb McGary To Miss ‘Significant Time’

August 23rd, 2025 at 9:50am CST by Nikhil Mehta

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris announced that starting right tackle Kaleb McGary will miss “significant time” with an injury suffered in Wednesday’s practice.

McGary went down during individual drills and had to be carted off the field. Morris indicated that the six-year veteran will land on injured reserve, though that could come with a return designation if the Falcons believe he can return this season.

The 30-year-old just negotiated a $3.5MM raise earlier this month with a two-year, $15MM extension. With Michael Penix entering his first full season as a starter, McGary may have had some added leverage as the left-handed quarterback’s new blind side protector.

McGary’s injury will stretch an already-injured tackle room even further. Swing tackle Storm Norton is recovering from ankle surgery and former UDFA Tyrone Wheatley Jr. is out for the year. Norton is unlikely to be ready for Week 1, making it unclear who will start at right tackle.

Morris specifically mentioned Elijah Wilkinson as a player who is expected to step up amid the injuries. He’s currently listed as the backup left guard on the Falcons’ unofficial depth chart, but the eight-year veteran moved to left tackle for the team’s second preseason. He also has 20 career starts at right tackle, though the last came in 2021. Brandon Parker is listed as Atlanta’s backup right tackle, but has lined up at left tackle in the preseason. Like Wilkinson, he has plenty of past experience at right tackle as well.

Rookie Jack Nelson could also be a factor after starting both preseason games at right tackle, but the seventh-rounder may not be trusted to protect Penix’s blind side right away. If McGary and/or Norton begin the season on IR, UDFA Jordan Williams could make the roster as extra depth after getting a handful of snaps at right tackle in the preseason.

NFL Front Office Updates: Falcons, Broncos, Chargers

August 22nd, 2025 at 8:58pm CST by Ely Allen

The Falcons announced a number of changes to their front office earlier this month. The team’s scouting department saw three promotions, made two new hires, and named a group of short-term workers.

For the promotions, BLESTO scout James McClintock was elevated to area scout and scouting assistants Cami Pasqualoni and Kevin Weisman moved up to new roles, as well. McClintock is in Year 4 with the team after starting as a scouting assistant and getting promoted to his most recent position after only a year. Pasqualoni, the daughter of former Lions defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni, and Weisman joined the team a year ago. Pasqualoni will now serve as personnel and coaching assistant, while Weisman will now hold the title of football administration and personnel assistant.

Taking McClintock’s role as BLESTO scout will be new hire Alex Brown. Brown was announced as a new area scout for the team back in July, but it appears he will swap that title with McClintock’s. The other new hire is Kevin Melore, who will fill one of the scouting assistant roles vacated by Pasqualoni and Weisman. Melore spent last year as a senior personnel assistant at the University of Texas.

Atlanta also announced three Bill Walsh Diversity Fellows. Former NFL safety Erik Harris — played for the Falcons for two years — filled the role in the offseason, Jarred Gray filled the role in training camp, and Jalen Harris served in the role for both the offseason and training camp. After their fellowships, Harris will return to his usual role as special teams coordinator at Gulf Breeze HS (FL), Gray will return to Austin as the Longhorns defensive analyst/senior personnel analyst, and Harris will go back to work as the player development coordinator/assistant wide receivers coach at Georgia.

The other two temporary workers were Shaunessy Fisk and Jordan Young, who served as scouting training camp assistants. Fisk is a recruiting and scouting graduate assistant at Boise State who worked a player personnel internship with the Seahawks last year. Young, a former undrafted outside linebacker for the Buccaneers out of Old Dominion, returned to his alma mater as a defensive quality control coach in 2024.

Here are a couple other front office updates from around the NFL:

  • The Broncos also announced a few promotions in their front office, per Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. The headlining moves saw Kelly Kleine Van Calligan and Tony Lazzaro elevated into VP roles. Formerly the executive director of football operations/special advisor to the general manager, Van Calligan becomes the vice president of football operations in her 14th year in the NFL and her fifth with the Broncos. Gabriel notes that Van Calligan, who interviewed for the Raiders’ general manager job in 2024, now stands as the second-highest ranking woman in an NFL front office, behind only Browns assistant general manager and vice president of football operations Catherine Hickman. Lazzaro, entering his 25th year with the team, receives a title bump after leading Denver’s football information systems and football analytics departments since 2020. Denver also saw western national scout Sae Woon Jo promoted to national scout and football administration & strategy coordinator Rob Simpson promoted to football administration & strategy manager.
  • Finally, Walder reports that the Chargers have hired Ben Wendel to their analytics staff. A finalist in this year’s Big Data Bowl, Wendel’s title is unknown at this moment.

NFC South Notes: Bucs, Tuttle, Falcons

August 22nd, 2025 at 4:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jason Licht managed to stick around to make the Tom Brady signing despite the Buccaneers missing six straight playoff brackets to start his GM tenure. Licht said (via The Athletic’s Dan Pompei) he feared he would be fired after starting 27-53 during his first five years. But the Bucs gave him a five-year extension in summer 2019. In his sixth draft as Bucs GM, Licht chose Devin White fifth overall. The high-end linebacker prospect flashed early and earned an All-Pro nod, but a penchant for freelancing led the Bucs to bench him — after a trade request amid a pursuit of a top-five ILB contract. Licht now admits White would have been “off my board” had he received a do-over, indicating the off-ball LB’s Tampa Bay stay was “too much about him.”

Licht also missed on first-rounders Vernon Hargreaves, O.J. Howard and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka from 2016-21, but the Bucs’ drafts during the late 2010s through the 2020 virtual event helped form their Super Bowl LV core. As for White, he washed out of Philly after signing a one-year deal worth $4MM. He did not play a down for the Super Bowl LIX champions last season; after a stop in Houston, White rejoined Brady in Las Vegas (on a one-year, $1.17MM deal with no guarantees) this offseason.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

  • Shy Tuttle started 32 Panthers games from 2023-24, but the team both added reinforcements via free agency and has seen Derrick Brown return from a season-altering injury. The Panthers signed Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown to play up front alongside Derrick Brown, leaving Tuttle without a defined role. Tuttle is on Carolina’s roster bubble, per The Athletic’s Joe Person, who has Cam Jackson and A’Shawn Robinson — one of many ex-Rams on Ejiro Evero‘s third Panthers defense — making the team as backups over Tuttle. The Panthers would take on $6.56MM (spread over two years) by releasing Tuttle, who has made 65 career starts.
  • The Panthers should also be monitored for potential late-summer adds at inside linebacker and cornerback, Person notes. Carolina cut Josey Jewell after one season and has not found a home yet. Ex-Ram Christian Rozeboom is in place to start alongside 2024 third-rounder Trevin Wallace. At corner, the Panthers have Michael Jackson and Chau Smith-Wade set to play regular roles alongside Jaycee Horn. The Panthers used their No. 1 waiver priority to claim three CBs last August; even with a lesser priority spot, more moves to bolster their defense could be coming Wednesday.
  • Falcons swing tackle Storm Norton is expected to miss at least six weeks after undergoing ankle surgery this week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes. Norton re-signed on a two-year, $3MM deal this offseason. More significantly, the Falcons are without starting RT Kaleb McGary due to a leg injury. McGary will miss time, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, but the nature of the injury (and the recently extended player’s expected absence length) are not yet known. McGary signed a two-year, $30MM extension ($28.48MM fully guaranteed) during training camp. Elijah Wilkinson has seen more time at guard in recent years, but the ex-Broncos swing tackle took over at RT after McGary was carted off, per Falcons.com’s Tori McElhaney. An outside addition should probably not be ruled out, but McGary’s timetable will be key on that end.
  • The Saints hired former center LeCharles Bentley as a personnel and performance consultant. Bentley, who made the Pro Bowl at two positions (center, guard) during his Saints rookie-contract stay in the early 2000s, has been training O-linemen during offseasons for many years. The four-year Saints starter who suffered a career-ending injury shortly after signing with the Browns in 2006, Bentley has assisted with film study, at practice and in the weight room thus far, according to Saints.com’s John DeShazier. The 45-year-old staffer’s four Saints seasons doubled as Mickey Loomis‘ first four as GM.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/18/25

August 18th, 2025 at 9:00pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: CB Ameer Speed

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: DL Devonte O’Malley, DB Jaylin Simpson
  • Waived: CB Garnett Hollis Jr.
  • Waived/injured: DL Keith Randolph

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Signed: WR Phil Lutz
  • Waived/injured: DT Isaiah Iton

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Ojemudia is returning to the NFL after playing for the UFL’s DC Defenders in the spring, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. After starting 11 games for the Broncos as a rookie in 2020, he struggled with injuries and hasn’t played in the regular season since 2022.. The 27-year-old will add depth to a Cowboys cornerback room that isn’t expecting Trevon Diggs or Shavon Revel back until September. Second-year corner Caelen Carson is also dealing with a knee injury, so Ojemudia could get some snaps in Dallas’ last preseason game on Friday. A 53-man roster spot is unlikely given how late he signed with the team, but a strong first week could keep him in contention for the practice squad.

Winfree, a five-year veteran, will land with his fourth NFL team after a workout in Houston. The Texans also worked out former Chiefs wideout Cornell Powell, according to KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson.

Freeland, a 2023 fourth-round pick, started nine games as a rookie and spent 2024 as the Colts’ swing tackle. He will be out for the season with a fractured leg, per Colts.com writer JJ Stankevitz, as will Phillips (bicep), who hasn’t played in the regular season since 2022. Wohler sustained a Lisfranc injury, according to Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. The seventh-round safety will miss his rookie year after appearing to carve out a role in the Colts defense with an impressive preseason.

Falcons Sign QB Ben DiNucci

August 18th, 2025 at 10:15am CST by Adam La Rose

Ben DiNucci‘s next NFL opportunity has arrived. The journeyman quarterback announced on Monday that he has signed with the Falcons.

[RELATED: Reviewing Falcons’ Offseason]

DiNucci’s deal should set him up to see playing time in the Falcons’ preseason finale. Neither starter Michael Penix Jr. nor backup Kirk Cousins will suit up for the game, and head coach Raheem Morris confirmed (via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) Emory Jones is in concussion protocol.

That will presumably allow for DiNucci, 28, to receive a look during practices over the next few days in addition to Friday’s contest in Dallas. Taking part in the game would allow him to compete against his former team. DiNucci entered the NFL in 2020 as a Cowboys draftee. The former seventh-rounder made three appearances, including one start, during his rookie campaign.

Since then, DiNucci has not seen any regular season game action in the NFL. The Pitt and James Madison product spent time with the Broncos and Bills before signing a futures contract with the Saints this offseason. Once New Orleans took the expected route of adding another signal-caller via the draft, though, the team moved on from DiNucci. This Falcons pact will provide him with the opportunity to compete for third-string spot alongside Easton Stick.

In the wake of Jones’ concussion, he has been waived with an injury designation. Provided the former UDFA clears waivers, he will revert to injured reserve. The Falcons also announced that wideout DJ Chark – signed late last month – has been released. He will now aim to catch onto a roster elsewhere with the deadline for final cuts approaching.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/15/25

August 15th, 2025 at 7:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Friday’s minor moves around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Reverted to IR: CB Jordan Oladokun, WR Dez Fitzpatrick
  • Released from IR via injury settlement: TE Jordan Petaia

San Francisco 49ers

Dwelley’s second stint in the Bay Area has ended before roster cuts, let alone the start of the regular season. The 30-year-old spent his first six NFL seasons with the 49ers, serving as a special teams presence while chipping in offensively. After a single Atlanta campaign in 2024, Dwelley will now hit the open market in mid-August and seek out his next opportunity.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/14/25

August 14th, 2025 at 7:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Thursday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: FB Wesley Steiner
  • Waived: LB Michael Dowell

Tennessee Titans

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