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:
- WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside
- DB Breon Borders
- OL Jonotthan Harrison
- LB Andre Smith
- LB Kemoko Turay
Waived:
- DB Micah Abernathy
- WR Slade Bolden
- DB Natrone Brooks
- DB Cliff Chatman
- DL Carlos Davis
- DB Lukas Denis
- TE Tucker Fisk
- LB Frank Ginda
- DB Darren Hall
- DL Demone Harris
- WR Keilahn Harris
- TE Parker Hesse
- DL Timmy Horne
- RB Godwin Igwebuike
- LB Mike Jones
- DL LaCale London
- WR Zay Malone
- OL Michal Menet
- DL Caeveon Patton
- RB Clint Ratkovich
- OL Trevor Reid
- WR Mathew Sexton
- OL Justin Shaffer
- OL Tyler Vrabel
- RB Carlos Washington Jr.
- OL Barry Wesley
Placed on IR:
- DB Cornell Armstrong
- WR Penny Hart
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.
Falcons Waive Feleipe Franks; TE Facing Extended Absence
Feleipe Franks has encountered an injury which will interrupt his Falcons tenure. Atlanta announced on Thursday that they have waived the hybrid quarterback/tight end with an injury designation. Jordan Schultz of the Score reports Franks suffered a torn tendon in his foot, which should sideline him for roughly three months (Twitter link). 
The former UDFA entered the league as a signal-caller, but the team began transitioning to tight end last summer. Franks has yet to see much usage on offense in either capacity, logging only 68 offensive snaps to date. He has been a contributor on special teams, though, and an increased pass-catching role could have been in the cards for a team lacking in proven weapons in that regard.
Franks, 25, will revert to IR after clearing waivers. During his missed time, the Falcons will still have a tight end tandem facing considerable expectations. Kyle Pitts will look to return to full health and reach his potential as a former top-five pick, while trade acquisition Jonnu Smith and recent signing MyCole Pruitt should provide capable run blocking in head coach Arthur Smith‘s ground-based scheme.
On a busy day in Atlanta, the team also waived/injured wideout Chris Blair and defensive lineman Ikenna Enechukwu. Offensive lineman Ethan Greenidge has been placed on IR, meaning he will not be eligible to play during the 2023 season. Absences from each of those three players will not have the same effect as that of Franks, who should at least be able to retain his third phase duties upon return.
With the roster spots opened by the above moves, the Falcons have added Michal Menet, Matthew Gotel, Caeveon Patton and Mathew Sexton (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2). No member of that quartet has regular season NFL experience, so they could face an uphill climb to secure a 53-man roster spot during cutdowns. While they vie for an NFL opportunity, Franks will focus on rehab and minimizing the time he misses in his third year in Atlanta.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/22/22
Teams have until 3pm CT Tuesday to cut their rosters from 85 to 80 players. Many franchises have started doing that early. Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: RB T.J. Pledger
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: WR Jaylon Moore
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: T Austen Pleasants, LB Khalan Tolson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: WR Jaivon Heiligh, WR Jack Sorenson, TE Scotty Washington
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: P Joseph Charlton, S Luther Kirk IV, T Wyatt Miller, CB Parnell Motley, TE Marcus Santos-Silva
Denver Broncos
- Claimed (from Saints): RB Devine Ozigbo
- Waived/injured: DE Marquiss Spencer
Green Bay Packers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: TE Dominique Dafney
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: WR D.J. Montgomery, DT Caeveon Patton
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released: WR Marvin Hall
- Waived: OL Beau Benzschawel, CB Shabari Davis, TE Grayson Gunter, OLB Wyatt Ray, WR Lujuan Winningham
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DT Jeremiah Ledbetter
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: CB Brandin Dandridge, DB Nasir Greer, OL David Steinmetz
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Tae Davis
- Placed on IR: DE Jordan Jenkins (story)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: G Cameron Hunt, K James McCourt
New Orleans Saints
- Released from IR via injury settlement: CB Jordan Brown
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived/injured: WR Lance Lenoir
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: T Adrian Ealy
- Waived: T Jordan Tucker
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived/injured: WR Austin Mack
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: LB Cam Gill, G Aaron Stinnie (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Released: OLB Justin Lawler
- Waived: WR Terry Godwin
- Waived/injured: CB Shakur Brown, DB Shyheim Carter
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/29/22
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Duke Dawson
Chicago Bears
- Activated from active/PUP list: DL Sam Kamara
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed (from Jets): S Jovante Moffatt
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from active/PUP list: CB Quandre Mosely
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from active/NFI list: WR Sammy Watkins
- Activated from active/PUP list: LB Randy Ramsey, OL Rasheed Walker
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Caeveon Patton
- Released: DE Bryan Cox Jr.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: K Elliott Fry
- Waived: K Andrew Mevis
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: RB Trey Ragas
- Waived/injured: RB Xavier Jones
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Josh Hammond
- Activated from active/PUP list: C David Andrews, P Jake Bailey
New York Jets
- Waived: LB Javin White
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DL Tomasi Laulile
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Bug Howard
- Waived: P Sterling Hofrichter
- Activated from active/PUP list: G Sadarius Hutcherson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB Shakur Brown
Signed as a UDFA shortly after the draft, Mevis fared rather poorly in a Thursday workout. The rookie kicker missed badly on three warmup kicks, one of which drilling ex-Cowboys HC Dave Campo (of Hard Knocks 2002 fame), per ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco. Mevis had struggled during the start of Jaguars camp. This is Fry’s seventh NFL team since he entered the league in 2019. The workout-circuit regular has played in three regular-season games — one-offs with the Falcons, Bengals and Chiefs. The Jags also have kicker Ryan Santoso on their roster.
A hamstring injury, sustained during a workout shortly after a flight to Green Bay, sidelined Watkins for the start of Packers camp. The veteran will try to shake a well-earned injury-prone label in Green Bay, though the former top-five pick’s roster spot may not be 100% secure. Andrews, who returned in 2020 after missing all of the 2019 season due to blood clots, underwent offseason shoulder surgery. He is back for a seventh season as the Patriots’ starting center.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions, including a handful of notable names landing on the physically unable to perform list and the non-football injury list as teams open up camp:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on NFI: WR Marquise Brown
Chicago Bears
- Waived: DB Allie Green, OL Willie Wright
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on PUP: OT Jack Conklin, CB Denzel Ward
- Placed on NFI: DT Sheldon Day, LB Anthony Walker Jr.
- Placed on non-football illness: WR Javon Wims
Denver Broncos
- Placed on PUP: LB Randy Gregory, WR KJ Hamler, OL Billy Turner
- Placed on NFI : LB Christopher Allen
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: OL Ty Clary, WR Osirus Mitchell
- Placed on NFI: WR Sammy Watkins
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Isaiah Ford, WR John Hurst
- Waived: WR Kekoa Crawford, DT Caeveon Patton
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on PUP: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from NFI: DT Vernon Butler
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on PUP: LB Kenneth Murray
Miami Dolphins
- Released with NFI designation: WR Cody Core
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on NFI: CB Nate Hairston
New England Patriots
- Released: C Darryl Williams
- Activated from PUP: LB Raekwon McMillan
- Placed on NFI: CB Myles Bryant
New Orleans Saints
- Released: OL Derek Schweiger
- Placed on NFI: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, TE Nick Vannett
New York Giants
- Signed: S Andrew Adams, WR Marcus Kemp, OT Kamaal Seymour
- Released: DB Maurice Canady
- Waived: DB Henry Black, DT Jabari Ellis, WR Travis Toivonen
- Placed on PUP: C Nick Gates, OT Matt Peart, WR Sterling Shepard
- Placed on NFI: LB Azeez Ojulari
New York Jets
- Signed: WR/PR Rashard Davis, QB Chris Streveler, OL Isaiah Williams
- Released: CB Craig James, WR D.J. Montgomery, OL Dru Samia
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Jaedan Graham, DT Kobe Smith
- Waived: WR Josh Hammond
- Waived with NFI desgination: DT Noah Elliss
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on NFI: S Minkah Fitzpatrick
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT Robert Nkemidiche
- Placed on PUP: CB Jason Verrett, TE Charlie Woerner
- Placed on NFI: DT Kalia Davis
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Jake Hausmann
- Waived with failed physical designation: LB Ben Burr-Kirven
- Placed on PUP: CB Tre Brown, LB Jon Rhattigan, OT Liam Ryan, OLB Tyreke Smith
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: TE Codey McElroy
Washington Commanders
- Placed on PUP: C Tyler Larsen, C Chase Roullier, TE Logan Thomas, DE Chase Young
- Placed on NFI: OT Cornelius Lucas