It is almost time for the Falcons to trim their roster to their best 53 players. Here’s one version of what that could look like.
The Atlanta Falcons are now a Kevin Stefanski operation. Atlanta’s new head coach should bring plenty of changes to the organization, particularly when it comes to the X’s and O’s. He will also look to get the most of Atlanta’s core players from the previous regime.
Now that training camp is practically over, the next task for Atlanta is cutting down to a 53-man roster.
Will Falcons fans be surprised by any of the players let go before the regular season?
Here is one version of what Atlanta’s final 53-man roster could look like after the deadline on August 30th.
Quarterbacks (2)
Michael Penix Jr., Tua Tagovailoa
How could this be any other way?
The Falcons have arguably the most variance in their quarterback room of any team in the league. Both Penix and Tagovailoa are streaky players who have struggled to stay healthy throughout their careers. It could be great, but the most likely outcome is disaster.
So why would Atlanta choose to only keep two quarterbacks?
The NFL’s emergency third-quarterback rule allows teams to dress an emergency QB without them counting towards the 53-man roster limit.
As such, the Falcons will probably keep Cooper Rush or Jack Strand on the practice squad for that exact purpose.
Running backs (3)
Bijan Robinson, Brian Robinson Jr., Tyler Goodson
The Falcons now have two B. Robinson’s in their backfield.
Bijan is the heart and soul of Atlanta’s offense. The superstar running back just got a massive extension and should receive plenty of touches in 2026.
Brian Robinson figures to take over the Tyler Allgeier role, which could involve a lot of touches compared to the average backup. That leaves only Goodson as a reserve player.
On paper, it is risky to only keep three running backs given how much volume they’re expected to receive. Staying healthy will be paramount for Atlanta at this position.
Wide receivers (6)
Drake London, Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus, Zachariah Branch, Chris Blair, Dylan Drummond
Atlanta’s receiver room is full of promise, but it has few established stars behind London on the depth chart.
Dotson will look to revive his career in Atlanta, and he may be given plenty of opportunities to do just that. The rookie Branch is the biggest unknown and could play a surprisingly big role if he can adapt to the NFL quickly.
It was extremely difficult choosing between Blair and Drummond for a fifth roster spot. In this scenario, Atlanta splits the difference and keeps both players as depth pieces and special teams contributors.
Tight ends (3)
Kyle Pitts Sr., Austin Hooper, Charlie Woerner
No real surprises here.
Pitts will be expected to play a huge role as a receiver in 2026. This is especially true after looking at the wide receiver depth chart. In fact, it would not be surprising to see Atlanta deploy formations with multiple tight ends, allowing Pitts to motion into the slot or out wide. That feels destined to happen in part because of Atlanta’s personnel.
Hooper is an all-around solid tight end who can do it all, But Woerner is at his best when blocking. Those skills sets match perfectly with using Pitts primarily as a receiver from multiple tight end looks.
It will be exciting to see how O’Connell and OC Tommy Rees deploy Pitts throughout the season.
Offensive linemen (9)
Jake Matthews, Matthew Bergeron, Ryan Neuzil, Chris Lindstrom, Jawaan Taylor, Wanya Morris, Michael Jerrell, Kyle Hinton, Corey Levin
Atlanta is able to keep all five starters as well as excellent depth at all key positions.
The Falcons may like to keep a bit more depth at guard, but Bergeron and Lindstrom are both rock solid. In fact, Lindstrom has only missed one regular-season games since the 2020 season.
One key position to watch is right tackle with Taylor coming over from Kansas City. He needs to play well early, at least as a run blocker, for Atlanta to retain their offensive identity.
Defensive linemen (6)
Brandon Dorlus, Da’Shawn Hand, Zach Harrison, Maason Smith, Chris Williams, LaCale London
Atlanta’s d-line has a solid mixture of veteran talent and up-and-coming players.
Dorlus and Harrison can both create pressure from the interior, and the Falcons may need that more than ever this year. If either of them goes down with an injury, Atlanta’s defense could struggle mightily to get after the quarterback.
But overall, no difficult decisions for Atlanta to make at this position.
Edge rushers (6)
Za’Darius Smith, Samson Ebukam, Azeez Ojulari, Bralen Trice, Cameron Sample, Cameron Thomas
The Falcons looks surprisingly good on the edge given how many players they will be down to start the season.
James Pearce Jr. will not play until the middle of the season due to his eight-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
Remember, suspended players do not count against a team’s 53-man roster limit. Pearce will become a major part of Atlanta’s defense once he returns, but he doesn’t count towards the final 53 for this exercise.
Meanwhile, Jalon Walker will miss the entire season following his ACL injury.
Atlanta will lean heavily on Smith, Ebukam, Ojulari, and Trice to hold down the fort while Pearce serves his suspension.
Linebackers (5)
Divine Deablo, Christian Harris, Harold Perkins Jr., JD Bertrand, Kendal Daniels
This feels like the thinnest position on the entire defense.
Deablo and Harris are both solid starters. However, it feels like Atlanta is missing a reliable third off-ball linebacker who can share reps with the other two starters.
Perkins, Bertrand, and Daniels all provide value in their own ways. But none of them would be an average NFL starter if pressed into service.
It will be interesting to see if opposing teams consistently attack the middle of Atlanta’s defense this fall.
Cornerbacks (6)
AJ Terrell, Aveion Terrell, Mike Hughes, Clark Phillips III, Darnay Holmes, C.J. Henderson
The Falcons have done a good job of building this room over the past few seasons.
Atlanta hopes that the Terrell brothers can be a tandem to build around moving forward. Hughes is a reliable veteran, and Phillips and Holmes can contribute in the slot. Henderson is even a great depth piece as a former first-round pick.
Billy Bowman Jr. will start the season on injured reserve after he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in November of 2025. He should return at some point during the second half of the regular season.
Safeties (4)
Jessie Bates III, Xavier Watts, DeMarcco Hellams, Sydney Brown
The Falcons could choose to keep more depth at safety. But in this scenario, they limit themselves to four to add more talent at other positions. Unfortunately, that means guys like Natrone Brooks fall just short of making the cut.
Bates is an elite safety and Watts showed a lot of promise during his rookie season. This may be the brightest spot on the entire defense.
Atlanta has a nice mix of age and veteran talent with their depth as well. Brown is an established veteran who can contribute at either safety spot. Meanwhile, Hellams is an incredible fourth safety off the bench with plenty of room to improve.
Special teams (3)
Nick Folk (K), Jake Bailey (P), Liam McCullough (LS)
No big surprises here either.
Atlanta could upgrade over Folks or Bailey during the offseason. But both will do just fine for the 2026 season.
The Atlanta Falcons are now a Kevin Stefanski operation. Atlanta’s new head coach should bring plenty of changes to the organization, particularly when it comes to the X’s and O’s. He will also look to get the most of Atlanta’s core players from the previous regime. Now that training camp is practically over, the next task for Atlanta is cutting down to a 53-man roster.