3 Atlanta Falcons who shouldn’t have made the final roster

The Atlanta Falcons are closing in on their first game of the season in a matchup that heavily favors a veteran New Orleans roster. Atlanta certainly has exciting pieces in Kyle Pitts, Marcus Mariota, and Cordarrelle Patterson but lacks the proven defensive players to believe they can take down the Saints in week one.

Atlanta didn’t help this fact by making several questionable roster decisions heading into the season. Atlanta went against what they had preached all off-season cutting players who had performed throughout camp and the preseason in favor of project players who cannot help this team win right now.

There were exceptions to this, however, with receiver Jared Bernhardt and defensive back Dee Alford both making the roster. Bernhardt’s long-shot story has been well covered and is perhaps the best preseason story in the league. Alford had more of a runway to make this team though no one could have predicted just how big of an impact he would have. Alford has gone from a fringe depth piece to a possible third corner on this Atlanta roster.

For these two great stories, there are three that Atlanta should have ended in the preseason. Players who didn’t earn their way onto the roster but showed they cannot contribute even on a rebuilding Atlanta Falcons team.