Atlanta Falcons' roster release day is officially upon us, and the reckoning day is bound to crush a lot of dreams. But that's the nature of this business, and three weeks of training camp and three preseason games preseason have offered several players a chance to fight for their role on this team.
Players auditioning for a new Falcons' coaching staff has continued all summer, but the final opportunity for those on the roster bubble to make an impression was against the Miami Dolphins in the preseason finale--a matchup where Atlanta looked dominant and knocked off the Phins 17-12.
And while the starters did play at Hard Rock Stadium, it was those second and third-teamers who had the most on the line. And of those players, here's who helped and hurt their roster odds the most in the preseason finale.
Which Atlanta Falcons players helped their roster stock the most on Friday night?
Helping: QB Cooper Rush
For all of the talk about Jack Strand's breakout summer ending Cooper Rush's time as the Falcons' QB3, this coaching staff has remained loyal to Rush. The veteran was actually the best QB for Atlanta, completing 13 of 18 attempts for 106 yards and a short touchdown pass to UDFA TE Jack Velling.
Rush hasn't been perfect this summer, but he's the most experienced player in the quarterback room. At this point, he's making it hard for the Falcons to not roster four quarterbacks--especially in the event they want Strand to stick around. Both backups are currently too valuable to move on from.
Helping: WR Vinny Anthony II
Undrafted rookie Vinny Anthony II has been turning heads all offseason, so you shouldn't be surprised at all to see him again helping his roster his chances. And as the self-named president of the Vinny Anthony fan club, nobody is more excited to see him pushing Dylan Drummond to be WR6.
The young wideout caught three of four targets for 21 yards against the Dolphins, which is a step back from last week's production but still solid. But his biggest impact came on special teams as he logged a 52-yard kick return as he's cementing himself as a weapon in every aspect of the game.
Helping: DT Carlos Allen Jr.
Speaking of undrafted rookies who have impressed in the preseason, welcome back Carlos Allen Jr., who built on last week's performance. According to Pro Football Focus, his 82.5 overall grade ranked fifth among all Falcons defenders, while his 86.2 run defense grade only trailed Devonnsha Maxwell.
It seems like he's fighting with Chris Williams for the final roster spot at DT, and Allen is making this feel more of a debate than it sounds like.
Helping: CB C.J. Henderson
C.J. Henderson has quietly been one of the standouts of the summer for the Atlanta Falcons' defense, and it was an up-and-down affair for him in Miami. Yes, he surrendered five receptions for 63 yards, but also logged two PBUs and has been playing his way into this new staff's good graces.
His main competition for a roster spot is Clark Phillips III and Cobee Bryant, and even though he wasn't perfect, one of them did some real damage to their roster stock.
Hurting: CB Cobee Bryant
Speaking of that cornerback battle, second-year man Cobee Bryant has been falling behind all summer. He's had his fair share of rough moments throughout the summer--particularly in coverage--and it appears that both Henderson and Phillips are more likely to make the Week 1 roster than him.
And here's why: the Dolphins threw the ball Bryant's way three times on Friday night, which resulted in three receptions for 66 yards, a 118.8 passer rating when targeted, and a 37.6 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus, which is good for 22nd out of 26 qualified defenders who saw the field.
On the bright side, Drake London and Bijan Robinson will get someone else on aux in the event he is cut.
Hurting: OT Ethan Onianwa
Unfortunately, another high-upside youngster may be on the chopping block in Atlanta. Seventh-rounder Ethan Onianwa received some positive buzz (and some first-team reps) earlier during training camp, but when it came to in-game action, it became clear he needs a lot more development.
The rookie was slow to react to plays and ultimately proved he isn't cut out to be an NFL-caliber tackle... and this was the same story in Miami. His 23.7 pass block grade was dead last on the team, proving he needs more than size to excel--and should spend the year on the practice squad.
Hurting: RB Cash Jones
Cash Jones led the Falcons in both receptions and receiving yards against the Indianapolis Colts last week and scored his first NFL touchdown. He finally looked like the secret weapon we waited all offseason for Atlanta to unleash--and his versatility makes him a worthwhile practice squad stash.
Unfortunately, his performance against the Dolphins was a real dud. Three carries for four yards and a seven-yard reception. Four touches is nowhere near enough to help him make a strong impression, but it's also the fact he wasn't able to do anything mind-boggling with those touches.
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