Barry Wesley

Falcons Reduce Roster To 53

Here are the Falcons’ Tuesday moves which brought the team’s roster to 53 ahead of the cutdown deadline:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR (designated for return):

Taylor Heinicke was widely believed to be on the trade block, and it would have come as little surprise if the veteran passer had been released. Atlanta signed Kirk Cousins in free agency and drafted Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall in April. Those two are set to handle starting and backup duties in 2024 (and beyond, if things go according to plan), which suggested Heinicke was expendable. Instead, he will prepare for a second season with the Falcons.

King’s efforts to return to regular NFL action included a contract with the Falcons in March. The former Packers corner sat out the 2022 season while rehabbing multiple injuries. Last year, an Achilles tear forced him to miss another campaign. He was unable to carve out a roster spot in Atlanta, but as a vested veteran he will immediately hit free agency without needing to pass through waivers.

A number of recent draftees are included in the list of players being waived. As a former UDFA, Blair does not meet that criteria but his inclusion is a surprise. The 26-year-old was a standout in the preseason, and ESPN’s Marc Raimondi notes Atlanta is interested is retaining him via the practice squad. The same will no doubt be true of Logue, a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft.

Teams are allowed to designate two players to return from IR without naming them to the 53-man roster. A number of teams have taken advantage of that new rule today, and in Atlanta’s case it means Hellams will not occupy a spot for the time being. The earliest he can be activated is Week 5.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/9/24

Here are the reserve/futures deals handed out Tuesday:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Indianapolis Colts

  • S Kendell Brooks, G Lewis Kidd, S Michael Tutsie

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/8/24

Many teams have started signing players to reserve/futures contracts, allowing organization to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players. Here are the latest reserve/futures contracts:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • OL Barry Wesley

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

  • LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle, WR Davion Davis, CB D’Angelo Mandell

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/5/23

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: S Lukas Denis
  • Placed on IR: OT Barry Wesley

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders added a veteran wideout to their practice squad in Keelan Cole Sr.. The 30-year-old spent the majority of the 2022 campaign in Las Vegas, hauling in 10 catches for 141 yards and one touchdown. He was productive in 31 games with the Jaguars and Jets between 2020 and 2021, catching 83 passes for 1,091 yards and six touchdowns.

Cole will be taking the spot held by Antoine Wesley, who earned his walking papers today. The former UDFA got into 15 games for the Cardinals in 2021, finishing with 19 catches for 208 yards and three touchdowns.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC South

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These BuccaneersFalconsPanthers and Saints moves are noted below.

Atlanta Falcons

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

  • OL Josh Miles

Signed to practice squad: 

Carolina Panthers

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

New Orleans Saints

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Falcons Reduce Roster To 53 Players

The Falcons roster took shape today. While the team moved on from some notable veterans, the front office surely had a tougher time waiving a long list of promising young players:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

One of the most surprising cuts was Darren Hall, who has started 10 of his 31 appearances for the Falcons over the past two seasons. The former fourth-round pick started nine games this past year, finishing with 45 tackles, three passes defended, and one forced fumble.

Parker Hesse spent the past two seasons in Atlanta, serving mostly as a blocking tight end. The former UDFA started seven of his 17 appearances this past season, hauling in nine catches for 89 yards.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/15/23

The first of this year’s spring leagues to debut, the XFL’s third effort, finished its season Saturday. XFL players are now free to sign NFL contracts, and several agreed to terms Monday. Here are those agreements, along with the other transactions from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed: T BJ Wilson

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: RB Tyreik McAllister, RB Jacques Patrick
  • Waived: WR Dallas Daniels, DB Darrious Gaines, TE Kris Leach, RB Emanuel Wilson

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

After seeing the pandemic nix its second effort in 2020, the XFL concluded its season Saturday. The Broncos signed the league’s second-leading rusher, in Patrick, while the Browns and Cowboys offered Barqoo contracts, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Barqoo, who played for the Jaguars in 2020 and XFL’s San Antonio Brahmas this year, opted for the Steelers’ offer. Patrick, whom the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson notes passed a Broncos physical Monday, finished with 443 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He joins XFL passing leader Ben DiNucci as a Broncos May addition.

Seeing time for the St. Louis BattleHawks, Jones-Smith played in three games apiece with Raiders and Ravens, respectively, from 2020-21. Thompson will join the Dolphins after a spring tour of duty with the Seattle Sea Dragons, while fellow XFL alum Brewer played in two games for the Bills last year. Heflin played five games for the Packers in 2021; the new Saint spent the XFL season with the Houston Roughnecks.

The Raiders gave Johnson a reserve/futures deal in January. The young wideout collected a ring with the 2020 Buccaneers and totaled 360 receiving yards for Tampa Bay’s 2021 iteration. While the Texans claimed him on waivers ahead of last season, he played in just two games with the team.

Jackson suited up for national championship-winning Georgia last season. The new Titans wideout finished with 514 receiving yards in 2020 and totaled 320 for last season’s Bulldogs edition. A Division II Quincy alum, Wilson received an East-West Shrine Bowl invite but tore an Achilles tendon late last season.