Atlanta Falcons: Matt Simms re-signs, Garrett Scantling released
By Randy Gurzi
The Atlanta Falcons made a couple of roster moves this week by re-signing quarterback Matt Simms from their practice squad and releasing wide receiver Garrett Scantling
It wasn’t really anything ground breaking, but the Atlanta Falcons did make a couple of tweaks to their roster. They brought back a familiar face in quarterback Matt Simms — who spent the past two seasons on the practice squad. In order to make room for the signal-caller, they released rookie wide receiver Garrett Scantling.
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For Scantling, it was a long shot to make the team anyway. He hasn’t played football in half a decade after focusing solely on his track and field career while at the University of Georgia. He excelled in that area, and had hoped his athleticism could transfer to the football field as he eyed a career in the NFL.
Like Scantling, Simms also was undrafted out of an SEC school, but the Tennessee product came into the NFL in 2012 with much more of a pedigree. Simms is the younger brother of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Chris Simms. The brothers have a pretty famous dad in Super Bowl winning quarterback Phil Simms.
Simms has yet to get much playing time in the NFL. While with the New York Jets in 2013 and 2014 he was able to get on the field a little. He completed just 48.7 percent of his passes for 195 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
After being cut by the Jets he was picked up by the Buffalo Bills. He was released after fumbling a ball backwards some 20 yards during a preseason game in 2015. After that he was signed to the Falcons practice squad. With no more eligibility for the squad, Simms will have to make a 53-man roster to continue his NFL dream.
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In Atlanta he wouldn’t have much shot beating out Matt Schaub for the backup role and the team may favor rookie Alex Torgersen who would be practice squad eligible.