FLOWERY BRANCH -- Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot, vice president of player personnel Kyle Smith and the scouts started breaking down film from other 31 NFL teams Thursday.
Their plan is for the scouts to loop in the Falcons coaches on the expected cuts from around the league. The goal was to have some background on most of the players cut to help them make waiver claims and fill out their 16-man practice squad.
The Falcons and teams around the league must cut their rosters to 53 players by 4 p.m. Tuesday. The Falcons can fill out their practice squad at noon Wednesday.
“We feel like we’ve had pretty good competition,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. “I mean some of them are painfully obvious, like Matt (Ryan), Jake (Matthews) and Grady (Jarrett). You’re pretty comfortable with at least a third of it.”
The rest of the cutdown from 80 to 53 will constitute a series of close calls.
With Julio Jones traded to Tennessee, Calvin Ridley, Russell Gage and Olimade Zaccheaus appear to have the top three wide receiver spots. Others, such as Christian Blake and Tajae Sharpe, are fighting for roster spots.
“Those guys play multiple spots in the receiver room, they’re both very smart players, a little bit different, but both have been productive in the NFL,” Smith said. “So you know that those guys are, they’re valuable. Those are the guys that are when you’re up on game day, if you’re not the top two guys, you (must) be able to play multiple spots.”
Both Blake and Sharpe can play multiple positions.
“It’s been good competition in that (meeting) room,” Smith said.
The competition at running back has been fierce. Undrafted rookie running back Javian Hawkins, who was having a strong camp, didn’t make it on the cutdown from 85 to 80. He signed with the Titans.
The Falcons have six backs -- Mike Davis, Cordarrelle Patterson, Keith Smith, Qadree Ollison, D’Onta Foreman and Caleb Huntley — and likely will cut to four or five.
“Those guys are competing, and they all ran pretty hard,” Smith said. “Certainly, all of them, Q (Ollison), Caleb … and Foreman ... there’s good competition there.”
The key area on offense is along the offensive line, which has been complicated by injuries to Matt Gono, Kaleb McGary and Jason Spriggs. Gono remains on the physically-unable-to-perform list and will not count on the initial 53-man roster.
McGary, who’s wearing a left knee brace, is working his way back into football shape. Spriggs, a former second-round pick by the Packers, is in a competition for one of the backup tackle spots.
“With Spriggs, again we are bringing him along,” Smith said. “He was coming off an injury last season. Worked him out, we didn’t expect him – he was recovering through injury, but he’s been coming along, and we’re happy with his progress.”
Matt Hennessy appears to have secured the center position, while Josh Andrews and Jalen Mayfield have been battling at left guard.
“What we’ve seen is a group, not just the five that we put out there for the first five, but we’ve seen a group of offensive linemen go and compete with each other,” offensive coordinator Dave Ragone said. “You’ve got guys along the offensive line, similar to Matt Ryan, who want to work. They want to be the example.”
The Falcons’ offensive line will be asked to improve it’s run blocking and pass protection.
“You’ve got guys who want to compete,” Ragone said. “For us, moving forward with the offensive line, rarely do you go through a regular season where you’re not going have multiple offensive-line lineups. We know that.”
Mayfield and fellow rookie Drew Dalman played 72 snaps over the first two exhibition games.
“What may start Week 1, potentially may not be (the same) at the end of the year because of whatever issues may come up,” Ragone said. “Our goal is to make sure that guys compete, which is what they are doing, but also to build depth.”
Defensive coordinator Dean Pees also is trying to create depth in a unit that will feature Jarrett, a two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle.
“The reason Grady is a good fit is one, he’s tough,” Pees said. “He’s a good athlete, and he gives effort, and he’s smart. So, those are three things you ask for in all defensive players, and Grady is the epitome of that.”
The Falcons have worked Dante Fowler into the operation after he missed the beginning of camp on the reserve COVID-19 list.
“It’s just gotten better and better and better,” Pees said. “He fits great in this defense. Anybody who can rush the passer is going to fit great in this defense, and he’s got speed, and he’s a smart football player, too.”
Pees has been pleased with how the defensive players have responded.
“These guys get it,” Pees said. “We really have a group of guys. ... Who knows how anybody is ever going to be, but we have a group of guys that have brought in and are working hard, and they get it. They want to be good, that’s half of the battle.”
Special-teams coordinator Marquice Williams will have a role in helping to shape the roster.
“The best part about this staff and working with Terry and coach Smith is that I don’t have to bang the table,” Williams said. “They value the importance of special teams and maximizing our roster when we trim it down to 53.”
The Falcons used the term “four-down player.”
“Those guys that are the fourth receiver, fifth receiver, maybe sixth,” Williams said. “That fourth tight end. The third tight end. Those extra (defensive backs) that we carry, they understand the value in that. Terry coming from New Orleans and coach Smith coming from Tennessee, they both value special teams.”
Smith is looking forward to making those moves.
“Special teams, that’s a huge decision for us not only to make the 53, but who are you going to put up on game day, those are critical decisions, especially when you get down there,” Smith said. “All right, who’s your fourth receiver, fifth, are you carrying six? Is that guy a core fourth guy? Same thing with the DBs, outside linebacker, tight ends, that’s an enormous decision.”
Those evaluations will be key.
“We value guys that do play on fourth down or play in the kicking game,” Smith said.
Here’s a position-by-position look at how the Falcons will cut to 53 players for the start of the season:
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACKS (2)
Lock: Matt Ryan. Long shots: Feleipe Franks and Josh Rosen. (Team expected to claim a QB off waivers)
RUNNING BACKS (5/6)
Locks: Mike Davis, Cordarrelle Patterson, Keith Smith. On the bubble: Qadree Ollison, D’Onta Foreman and Caleb Huntley.
WIDE RECEIVERS (6/7)
Locks: Calvin Ridley, Russell Gage and Olamide Zaccheaus. On the bubble: Christian Blake, Tajae Sharpe, Chris Rowland and Frank Darby. Long shots: Juwan Green, Antonio Nunn and Trevor Davis.
TIGHT ENDS (3/4)
Locks: Kyle Pitts, Hayden Hurst and Lee Smith. On the bubble: John Raine. Long shot: David Wells and Parker Hesse.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9/10)
Locks: Jake Matthews, Kaleb McGary, Chris Lindstrom, Matt Hennessey, Josh Andrews, Jaylen Mayfield and Drew Dalman. On the bubble: Josh Spriggs, Willie Beavers. Long shots: Kion Smith, Sam Jones, Ryan Neuzil and Joe Sculthorpe.
DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (7/8)
Locks: Grady Jarrett, Marlon Davidson, Tyeler Davison and Jonathan Bullard. On the bubble: Ta’Quon Graham and John Cominsky. Long shot: Chris Slayton, Eli Ankou and Zac Dawe.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (6/7)
Locks: Dante Fowler, Jacob Tuioti-Mariner, Steven Means, Brandon Copeland and Adetokunbo Ogundeji. Long shots: Tuzar Skipper and Kobe Jones.
INSIDE LINEBACKERS (5/6)
Locks: Deion Jones, Foye Oluokun, Mykal Walker, Brandon Copeland (can play inside and outside). On the bubble: Dorian Etheridge, Emmanuel Ellerbee and Erroll Thompson.
CORNERBACKS (5/6)
Locks: A.J. Terrell, Fabian Moreau, Chris Williamson and Avery Williams. On the bubble: Isaiah Oliver, Darren Hall and Kendall Sheffield. Long shots: Delrick Abrams.
SAFETIES (4/5)
Locks: Duron Harmon, Erik Harris, Richie Grant, Jaylinn Hawkins. On the bubble: Dwayne Johnson. Long shots: T.J. Green (spent some time at corner) and JR Pace.
SPECIALISTS (3)
Locks: K - Younghoe Koo, P – Dom Maggio, LS - Josh Harris. On the bubble: Cameron Nizialek
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