Atlanta Falcons training camp is in full force right now, and we're starting to get our first feel for how players are starting to perform. The pads have coming on, and we're starting to realize that a strong showing (or a rough one) isn't a flash in the pan, but more of a sign of what's to come going forward.
At this stage of the summer, we have enough of a sample size to evaluate who the early winners and losers of the summer. But winners and losers aren't the only thing that matter in camp, as there are players who have been dominating while others have gradually started to fade into the background.
As far as the Falcons go, four players stand out as the best performers, while three other players have had rough summers to date.
The Atlanta Falcons' players who are making roster decisions easier
Tearing it up: Harold Perkins Jr.
For all of the rookies who have been dominating at Falcons camp, no one has been more exciting than sixth-round rookie Harold Perkins Jr. Perkins has been getting reps with the first-team defense at insider linebacker, and it seems like he's seriously pushing Christian Harris for the starting LB2 job.
But that's not all . In the wake of Jalon Walker's season-ending ACL tear, Atlanta has started to line up the 21-year-old off the edge in practice also. And considering how thin the edge room is right now, they need people who can get to the quarterback--and Perkins evidently excels in that area.
Between Walker's injury and Kaden Elliss' departure, the Dirty Birds are looking for someone to play the swiss-army knife role for their defense. They want someone to rush the passer lining up off the edge and off the ball, and Harold Perkins Jr. has the versatility to make plays all over the football field--which he has displayed all summer long
Tearing it up: Mike Hughes
For all of the talk about Avieon Terrell eventually stealing Mike Hughes' job, Hughes has remained the starting outside cornerback in training camp. The Falcons clearly believe that 2025 was a mirage, as everything they've done this offseason suggests they still see him as their CB2 oppsite A.J. Terrell.
And it sure seems like a bounce-back season is coming. Hughes has had some really strong coverage reps in camp, especially while covering Drake London in 1-on-1s. He even got an endorsement from Falcons beat reporter Will McFadden for having a good start to the summer.
Earlier this offseason, the former first-round pick was floated as a possible trade candidate, but it sure seems like that's out the window. The 29-year-old has been a PBU machine in training camp, so while Mike Hughes was getting picked on frequently last season, 2026 may tell a different story.
Tearing it up: Jahan Dotson
Zachariah Branch has set Falcons training camp ablaze with his highlight plays, but he hasn't been the only winner within the receiver room. Jahan Dotson has embarked on a career renaissance this offseason, and has started to increase his stranglehold on Atlanta's WR2 job behind Drake London.
The Falcons were supposedly having an open receiver competition, but 26-year-old has been on the field most often in 2-WR sets. As the deep threat this WR room needs, he's best suited for an outside role, and the wideout battle has been more between Branch and Olamide Zaccheus out of the slot.
Dotson has been making plays on a consistent basis too. He made a nice one-handed catch during Tuesday's practice, and has had a couple of nice plays a day. The former first-round pick has hardly left the field, and sure seems like he's well on the way to getting the redemption story he needed.
Tearing it up: Sydney Brown
Another former Philadelphia Eagle makes this list in the tearing it up column, as the Falcons have some big plans in store for Sydney Brown. The Falcons have pursued an open competition at the starting nickel corner spot, and the veteran defensive back has gotten a lot of consideration there.
Containing Zachariah Branch in 1-on-1 has been virtually impossible for Falcons defenders, but the Illinois product made it look easy. During a rep from Wednesday's practice, Brown locked him down. He didn't give up any leverage and recovered well to force an incompletion (though it was a bad pass).
The Falcons traded a fourth-round pick swap to get Sydney Brown, and Jeff Ulbrich should want to use every excuse to get him on the field--whether it be at nickel or safety.
Fading quickly: Channing Tindall
The Falcons have made it their mission to preach competition all across the roster, and the main culprit has been at inside linebacker. We know Divine Deablo will take one of the starting spots, but Christian Harris, Harold Perkins Jr., and Kendal Daniels have competed for first-team reps at LB2.
It's become clear that the Georgia product is merely a backup at this point, but his roster spot may be in jeopardy too. Even with the Troy Andersen release, it seems like he's on the wrong side of a wide-open linebacker rotation.
Fading quickly: Cash Jones
The Falcons' RB3 battle is in full force, and it doesn't really seem like anyone is pulling away between Nate Carter, Cash Jones, and Tyler Goodson. And unfortunately for Jones, he enters this battle at a serious disadvantage because he has the least NFL experience out of these three young backs.
Jones was in the process of being converted into a slot receiver during OTAs, but the Falcons backtracked on that idea once training camp started. And considering Carter and Goodson are both better runners than Cash Jones, it seems like he's a practice squad stash in the best-case scenario.
Fading quickly: AJ Woods
If we're talking about players who have struggled this summer, AJ Woods has to be at the top of the list. At the start of training camp, he was getting first-team reps in the nickel, but now that we're deeper into camp, Kevin Stefanski's open-mindedness over that experiment has started to fade.
Woods has struggled in coverage all summer long, especially in 1-on-1s, and he doesn't really fit in the cornerback rotation. There's the two Terrell brothers, Hughes, Brown, the injured Billy Bowman Jr., and potentially one of C.J. Henderson and Cobee Bryant could stick around, so his rough summer could put the nail in the coffin.
Add us as a preferred source on Google