The Atlanta Falcons made easy work of the Indianapolis Colts in their second preseason game. There's no sugarcoating a 34-6 rout where the Falcons held the Colts to under 200 yards of total offense while Atlanta managed to surpass 460 yards of total offense themselves. It was domination.
When it comes to victories in such a blowout fashion, it's easy to find storylines to overreact to. And yes, I'm well aware that this is a preseason game, but the roster bubble is different. A good preseason performance could be the difference between a certain player locking down a roster spot or not.
In the case of these five players, it's not an overreaction to say they drastically helped their roster odds at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday afternoon... And there's no reason to roll with the low-hanging fruit like Jack Strand and Tyler Goodson when the under-the-radar guys did more to help themselves.
Which Atlanta Falcons players helped their roster odds the most?
WR Vinny Anthony II
For those who know me, I have been on the Vinny Anthony II hype train since May. I've been screaming from the hilltops that he has a real shot to make the roster. And the preseason has only confirmed the notion that he has a real shot of shattering this receiver competition to his benefit.
Anthony caught all four of his targets for 46 yards, tying Cash Jones for the team lead in receptions, and only Jones had more receiving yards. He also added 28-yard kick return to his stat line for the day, and his versatile skillset is something this coaching staff must consider keeping around in 2026.
CB Malcolm DeWalt IV
Undrafted cornerback Malcolm DeWalt IV was one of the stars of the Dirty Birds' preseason opener, as he nearly came down with an interception before it was ruled he was out of bounds. But the rookie turned in another solid day against the Colts, although he was unable to pick up his first career pick.
According to Pro Football Focus, the rookie's 70.0 PFF grade ranked eighth among all Falcons defenders, but his 69.4 coverage grade only trailed Christian Harris, Kendal Daniels, and Jammie Robinson. So it was DeWalt who on paper had the best day of any of the cornerbacks on Saturday.
His odds of making the roster don't feel amazing, but he's positioning himself to nab a spot on the practice squad at the very least.
LB JD Bertrand
It feels insane to say that earlier this offseason JD Bertrand was one of the players being labeled as a popular cut candidate. Given all of the additions to the linebacker room and his struggles in coverage while Divine Deablo hurt made the dots easy to connect, but the third-year man is saying not so fast.
Bertrand started at linebacker alongside fourth-round rookie Kendal Daniels against the Colts, even seeing the field over Christian Harris and Harold Perkins Jr., which is a testament to the goodwill he's earned with this new regime. And considering he gives special teams value, he should make the team.
DE Keshawn Banks
Keshawn Banks has quietly been one of the stars of the offseason for the Falcons. He's another player who was a bright spot against the Broncos, but sustained his momentum against the Colts. For the second consecutive week, Banks led the team in pass-rush grade, as his 78.9 grade was .2 higher than James Pearce Jr.
The pass-rushing room is in incredibly dire straits without Pearce for eight games and Jalon Walker, so they're a capital-D desperate for contributors. And that means that the runway for the former UFL standout is there to keep wreaking havoc on a rotational basis.
OT Michael Jerrell
Michael Jerrell was flagged three times in the Falcons' preseason opener, but no player improved more in eight days than Jerrell. Not only did he start at left tackle, he impressed at left tackle, as his 72.2 run blocking grade ranked third on the team and was the best among the offensive linemen.
Jake Matthews is dealing with an injury, so Jerrell may get an extended look at left tackle in the interim. He helped ignite Tyler Goodson's 49-yard rushing touchdown, and his versatile skillset means he deserves a chance to prove himself as the swing tackle in place of Storm Norton.
Add us as a preferred source on Google