The Falcons made three roster moves Sunday afternoon, dropping the active roster to 75 players — the league-mandated number every team much reach on or before Sept. 1.
Atlanta released defensive tackles Jason Jefferson and Tywain Myles and long snapper Robert Shiver. The team had an active roster of 78 players entering the day after releasing linebacker Edmond Miles earlier in the week and placing wide receiver Harry Douglas on injured reserve the first week of Russell Falcons Training Camp.
Jefferson was claimed off of waivers by the Falcons on Aug. 31, 2008 and competed in 13 games last season (one start).
Myles was signed by Atlanta to a reserve/future contract on Jan. 5 while Shiver was signed as a rookie free agent on April 27, 2009.
The next big roster move is expected after the team’s final preseason game. All NFL clubs must post a 53-man active roster on or before Sept. 5.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=d109b16a-a68d-43ef-ba8d-3e6d5ae13b21)
31 Comments
No surprises there. The next 22 cuts are going to be tough, especially at RB and the D-line.
I heard TD say he might keep as many as five RBs. As much as I love Verron Haynes, they seem to be in love with Thomas Brown and I have a feeling he’ll stay along with Snelling.
At D-line, I like them all. If we really go nine deep, it’s going to be between Thomas Johnson and Vance Walker (and yes, I’ll admit I got that from the paper). They’re not getting rid of Trey Lewis or Jamaal Anderson. Interesting.
I know DB is a sore subject right now. I’m not sure what Chris Houston is going to be. Not to make excuses for last night, but wasn’t he just coming back from injury? Anyway, looks like we are deep with average or young/unproven talent in the secondary.
And do the late-round LBs drafted by TD stick? That would be Spencer Adkins and Robert James. Not if we keep Gilbert and Winborn.
One thing is for sure. Redman showed who needs to stay at no. 2 QB. Keep D.J. or Wilson and keep trying to develop them, but we need a steady veteran back there, just in case.
To clarify on the secondary, I mean “deep” by nearly interchangeable at this point. It’s either a vet who’s okay but not great, but is as good as he’s going to get (A.Harris, V.Hutchins), or it’s a young stud who isn’t quite ready (C.Owens, W.Moore).
In the long run, though, I’m pretty excited about Coleman, DeCoud, Moore, Owens, Grimes, C.Jackson, and (hopefully) even Houston. If those guys live up to their potential, that’s a seriously deep secondary.
Just my humble opinion.
Keep Johnson and Walker, let Jammal go, enough already.
yeah i agree with the cuts, now just add derrick brooks, to insure the D and we’ll be good.
I think we need a lock down corner back. I was at the game last night and the corners were a step behind on every play. Come on guys, it was 3 and +10 about 6 times and these guys converted everytime in the same drive. I think we need to release Houston. and pick a lock down corner, like mcallister or someone. Also move grimes to strong safety, let Owens and Coleman share the corner spot and let Decoud play free safety
I am curious to see who emerges at the D Line.
Just for fun, with a week to go til the last cut down, I was playing with the final 53 man roster on defense using the same QTY of players at each position last year. 5-DE’s, 4-DT’s, 6-LB’s, 5-CB’s, 4-S’s. Here are mine, DE: Abraham, Bierman, Davis, Sidbury, Anderson. DT: Babineaux, Jerry, Lewis, Johnson. LB: Peterson, Lofton, Nicholas, Wire, Gilbert, Adkins. CB: Houston, Grimes, Jackson, Owens, Middleton. S: Coleman, DeCoud, Moore, Brock. 1 Week to play GM. Whatcha think? Maybe offense next?
johnny how old are you and have you evered played the game coleman is 221 hes not a corner dude, mcalliser got burnt more than toast in the morning thats why his old team released him. If you watched last nights game sd recievres made some great catches that you usaully dont see you cant judge on that Grimes at strong safety at 180 he would get killied by the tightends in the league
where did you go johnny
@ACTS3GM: That looks like fun, I’ll make an attempt at the offense. I don’t know the numbers they had at each position but I’ll just take a stab at them, just for fun. Bouncing off of your defensive numbers, you leave me with 53 – (5+4(9)+6(15)+5+4 (24)) 24 = 29 players.
QB- Ryan, Redman, Shockley/JPW
WR- White, Jenkins, Finneran, Booker, Weems
TE- Gonzalez, Peelle
OL- 2 of each position, I don’t know all the names.
RB- Turner, Norwood, Brown, Snelling
FB- Mughelli, Haynes
That’s 24 players, which leaves 5 players for specialties.
K- Elam
P- Koenen
And long snapper guy.
Koenen is Elam’s backup and I don’t imagine those guys get injured much, that leaves two spots open for potential prospects to train up or a vet or two.
Chandler Williams made a heck of a catch the other night, I say he earned his stripes on that one. Troy Bergeron also made some great catches in traffic, I’d say sign him up too, so long as they both contribute to special teams in some way. Ever since I learned the Falcons were giving Bergeron a shot, I believed that he’d be good if they’d just throw him the ball, after all he was the Force’s main receiver with like 6000 TDs.
Actually that’s not 24, that’s 26.
Anywho, they’ll figure something out.
@ACTS3GM:
Looks good on the final roster picks, there. Only question marks for me are at the very bottom of the depth chart. Will they keep Adkins over Winborn, T.Johnson over V.Walker, Brock over Hutchins/Fudge/Harris?
I would hope we could keep Adkins, V.Walker, and Brock on the practice squad, and go with the veterans for now.
On offense, I think it’s pretty well set, but who do you keep at no. 3 QB, No. 4 (and 5?) RB, and no. 5 (or 6?) WR. How about JPW, Thomas Brown over Verron Haynes (Bulldog-on-Bulldog violence is a shame, though), and Weems and Ferguson, with Aaron Kelly and/or Bergeron on the practice squad?
i think weems is in as punt/kick returner and wide receiver he showed very good hands on the play that won the game for us in a very big part of the game that tells you a lot about a player.
I am here, we need something! I played ball, I am not too knowledgable about the falcons secondary, but bottom line I think we need a change.
I would put booker in there, before jenkins
@ACTS3GM
Hey acts3, just one adjustment to your final picks….R. James instead of S. Adkins. By the way, great work you are doing.
Ok. Here’s the Offense & Special Teamers Projections based on last year’s QTY per position.
WR: 6. OL: 9. TE: 3. QB: 3. RB: 5. K: 1. P: 1. LS (Long Snapper): 1.
WR: White, Jenkins, Booker, Finneran, Weems, Bergeron.
OL: Baker, Blalock, McClure, Dahl, Clabo, Ojinnaka, Reynolds, Romberg, Svitek.
TE: Gonzalez, Peele, Rader
QB: Ryan, Redman, Wilson
RB: Turner, Norwood, Snelling, Mughelli, Brown
K: Elam
P: Koenen
LS: Schneck
Bottom line the Falcons secondary is the weak link. If the D-line doesn’t put any great pressure on the quarterback, it does not matter how much offense the Falcons have it will be a long season. The Falcons secondary as a whole is under sized. Keep in mind defense wins Titles.
This was the first game I’ve been able to see. Our pass rush wasn’t great and our secondary sux. I was hoping for better. First half had SD with 8 out of 9, third down conversions with an average distance of 13 yards. Our secondary looked like children among men. Is their anything we can do at this point?
This was the first game I’ve been able to see. Our pass rush wasn’t great and our secondary sux. I was hoping for better. First half had SD with 8 out of 9, third down conversions with an average distance of 13 yards. Our secondary looked like children among men. Is their anything we can do at this point?
Redman must stay!!!!!!
Understanding the trouble the birds had with the D-Line last year at the end of the season you would think they would have kept atleast 6 D-Linemen think were all gunna be real dissapointed when A they dont play to thier potential due to the lack of competition at practice and B when injuries bite its gunna be a lack of depth at the position that burns everyone out faster o well good luck shoulda made the recent cuts at positions that would have been suited to fill faster in the new defense
are defense coordinator did not call a very good game, sometimes we went too a 3-4 defense and i think that hurt us on there 3 and 10. we have to keep are younger cb, we do need a cb that can mentior these young guys, size hurts us, but speed is agood thing,we have speed back there, dj shockely needs to go,stay with another young qb, jpw, chris redman as the backup, dont need four qbs. i see this last game for all rookies to get alot of playing time, i think, middleton, moore,owens ,chris houston, would be great starters for are secondary, they all have lots of speed.
I’m not impressed with this defense at all. They look just the way they did since 98 super bowl run. Its just new faces getting whipped all over again. Chris Houston I believe he can do better he needs more guidance, they guy is super fast but something is missing. Bret Grimes if he wasn’t so short he’s a monster at that position, but with him against big WRs they always a step ahead. He plays hard, fast and smart but his height is getting him beat. Decoud needs to interchange to CB, Coleman SS, Moore FS, and I want to throw C. Jackson our but he isn’t the fastest but decent speed. The defense needs major work.
Say your prayers that we find another cornerback like Foxworthy after the last cuts everyone has to make in September. Damn us for letting him go.
They got a lot of players on the D Line but if they let Thomas Johnson go over walker that wouldn’t be too wise. Look at the double teams Johnson requires
Keep Kohnson and Walker On D- line, release Anderson and rotate Sidburu and Davis. We have to have A pass rush to cover our youthful secondary or we better score 40+ game.Hopefully our running game can keep the D off the field and when they are on they will bend but not give up TD’s as last year. What the hell has happened to Von-Hutchins who was suppose to be a solid starter?
I said it before and I’ll say it again. Houston and Anderson should not be starting. Jackson and Davis should get their chances at starting. Jackson is the biggest corner we have yet he is just as fast and he does a better job in coverage than Houston. Davis is just better than Anderson hands down. Biermann too for that matter.
WOW!! Just like every other season we have. I am the biggest falcon fan through highs and lows . I have been for the past 20 years. But there is one constant here. Our secondary couldnt cover the patriots cheer leading squad. The chargers shredded us and that was without gates or lt. We seriously need to go get a lockdown corner. With our offense our d does not need to be great. But it does need to be able to get off the field against good teams or we are never gonna win.
falcons are just worried about money man i am falcons fan ut i hate some of the stupid things they do how could they release all four good defenders at once …. they released brooking, foxworth even though they could have paid him more , milloy , boley what are they thinking they could could have sign atleast forxworth wow… and chris houstonn completely suckssss you could have seen how many times he got burned by vincent jackson… if we need to have a winning season we better sign a good cb from free agent or trade the first round pick for good cb from someone else
@ajc/falcons
i agree. it’s time to part ways with anderson. and lets face it grimes is to short! some one tell me why did they let foxworth and boley get away?! i like sidbury though,and they need to start looking at ty law
@ACTS3GM
wilson!!! what are you thinking about? wilson folds under pressure. the first time that the o-line does’nt hold up with him back there it’s a wrap. don’t let ONE good season in COLLEGE make you think that he is a good q-b. shockley is versatile. put him on the feild with some play makers and you will see. he can throw and run.