Even though Sunday's roster release deadline is in the books, the chaos is far from over.
The Atlanta Falcons spent cut day cleaning house, whittling down the 90-man roster to just 53 players for the first time under new head coach Kevin Stefanski and new GM Ian Cunningham, with former third-round pick Bralen Trice among the biggest names to receive the axe yesterday.
Depending on whether you're a player looking to save their new roster spot or just looking to return, I have good (or bad) news for you. The Falcons can now bring back some of the players they released, with Azeez Ojulari, Darnay Holmes, Wanya Morris, and Tyler Goodson among prime candidates.
The reason for this? The practice squad. The Falcons can build a 16-player practice squad, and can add an additional player if they so choose through the International Pathway Program. So that offers ample opportunity for the UDFAs and young rotational guys they cut to remain in the building.
The most important piece of news to know here is that Atlanta owns the 13th priority on the waiver wire, which is even more of an opportunity for Stefanski and Cunningham to do damage. And now that waivers officially opened, we're here to come through with some live updates and rumors.
Buckle up ladies and gentlemen, because a lot can happen awfully quickly here. But don't worry, you won't have to follow it all. We'll keep track of every waiver claim, practice squad pickup, and even where the former players end up, so the Atlanta Falcons madness can continue for another day.
Atlanta Falcons practice squad madness is about to kick off
Everything Atlanta Falcons fans need to know about the practice squad
- Atlanta Falcons practice squad madness is about to kick off
- How does the practice squad work?
- Updated Falcons practice squad
- Falcons' practice squad rumors
- Who did the Falcons claim off of waivers?
- Where former Falcons are landing after roster cuts
How does the practice squad work?
The practice squad gives a team an extra 16 players to keep around essentially as a buffer-zone between the roster and free agency. So if someone gets injured or cut, players on the practice squad are typically the ones who get called up to replace them--it's almost like a second roster if used right.
The Falcons can elevate up to two players to the active roster for a given game, but you can only elevate a player three times before you have to sign them to the active roster full-time. And because of that, there's almost a level of strategy involved.
Practice squad players are also fair game for the rest of the league, as you can sign another team's practice squad player to the 53-man roster.
Updated Falcons practice squad
TE Nick Muse
When the Falcons released Muse yesterday, Tom Pelissero reported that they are planning to sign him to the practice squad. The late-summer pickup had a strong summer in Atlanta, so this isn't particularly surprising.
WR Vinny Anthony II
Undrafted rookie Vinny Anthony II was in contention for a roster spot had Atlanta chose to roster six wide receivers, but it was always in the cards for them to bring him back. Mike Garafolo reported that the preseason standout is officially sticking around on the P-Squad as insurance at wide receiver.
OG Kam Dewberry
Undrafted rookie Kam Dewberry was among the standouts of the summer for Atlanta on the offensive line, as by the end of the summer, he beat out Layden Robinson, Jaedan Roberts, and Andrew Stueber to be the backup RG to Chris Lindstrom--but didn't make the roster due to injury.
Dewberry was carted off the field in preseason Game 2 against the Colts, but the AJC's Daniel Flick reported he was expected to remain on the practice squad, and Flick just confirmed what we all expected.
EDGE Cameron Sample
After Jalon Walker went down for the season, the first move the Falcons made was to sign former fourth-round pick Cameron Sample. And he was solid for them. He likely didn't spend enough time with the team to make the roster, but was always a candidate to return for a depleted pass-rush.
Tom Pelissero reported that he was signing to the practice squad, where a woefully short-staffed EDGE room may need him.
OL Riley Mahlman
Riley Mahlman was one of the more intriguing members of Atlanta'a UDFA class. At 6-foot-8 and 308 pounds, he is one massive human being, and those are the types of hog mollies the Falcons are looking for on the offensive line--and he's the practice squad's developmental project at OT.
Like with his former Wisconsin teammate Vinny Anthony, Mike Garafolo reported he would be staying on Atlanta's P-Squad.
CB Darnay Holmes
Darnay Holmes not making the roster despite the Falcons rostering 13 defensive backs was a surprise, but he's sticking around. He got first-team reps in the nickel for much of the offseason, but a looming Billy Bowman Jr. return complicated the prospect of keeping him on the roster.
However, Daniel Flick reported that Holmes had a chance to come back, and followed that up wifh confirmation he was joining the practice squad. But he could be elevated to the active roster sooner than expected.
RB Tyler Goodson
Tyler Goodson was perhaps the biggest surprise cut of Sunday for the Falcons, but he fell victim to them rostering only two running backs. But there was always the chance that he would come back--and that's precisely what happened.
After nobody else signed him, he joined the practice squad where he'll likely serve as the RB3 behind Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr.--and possibly be a game-day call-up on special teams or in case of injury.
DT Carlos Allen Jr.
Undrafted rookie Carlos Allen Jr. was another summer standout for the Falcons, but they never had room for him on the roster--especially after the Gervon Dexter trade. But fans were holding out hope that he would stick around on the practice squad, and per Daniel Flick, his return is now official
WR Dylan Drummond
Dylan Drummond likely would've made the Falcons' 53-man roster had they chose to roster six receivers, so of course they want to keep him on the practice squad. The AJC's Daniel Flick reported yesterday he expected Drummond to be among the practice squad guys--which he just confirmed.
Falcons' practice squad rumors
CB Cobee Bryant
The Falcons cut Bryant, but for the second straight offseason, they're looking to stash the 2025 undrafted free agent on the P-Squad. Jordan Schultz reported that Atlanta would like to keep the 24-year-old on the practice squad, but that all depends on whether or not he clears waivers...
Who did the Falcons claim off of waivers?
Jacksonville Jaguars LB Yasir Abdullah
Yasir Abdullah is your prototypical Jeff Ulbrich linebacker. At 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, he ran a 4.47 second 40-yard dash, and spent the first three seasons of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars after being drafted by Jacksonville in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
The 26-year-old has appeared in 29 career games, and most of his action came on special teams, so he could push JD Bertrand for the LB5 spot.
Philadelphia Eagles OT Cameron Williams
It's not a waiver session without the Falcons picking up a developmental OL for Bill Callahan. With all of the Philadelphia Eagles connections in their front office, it's no surprise they claimed a former Philadelphia Eagles draft pick in offensive tackle Cameron Williams
Not only was the 2025 sixth-round pick a teammate of Bijan Robinson's at Texas, he was one of the more productive tackles in the country in 2024. And at 6-foot-5 and 317 pounds, he could step in as the new backup right tackle--and his signing could see Ethan Onianwa eventually hit the P-Squad.
Seattle Seahawks LB Jared Ivey
After the Falcons lost a few Georgia natives in Azeez Ojulari and Tyler Goodson, they picked up another one in Jared Ivey. The Suwanee native and North Gwinnett product kicked off his college career at Georgia Tech before transferring to Ole Miss, before going undrafted in 2025.
The pass-rusher should add some depth to an OLB room that only rostered three people, and since he recorded seven sacks in 11 games for Ole Miss in 2024, he's an upside play for DL coach Nate Ollie.
Where former Falcons are landing after roster cuts
OT Wayna Morris--- Dallas Cowboys
After Wanya Morris was cut by the Atlanta Falcons, there was a chance he would come back on the practice squad if he went unclaimed. But the Falcons went out and claimed Williams, ending those chances, while Morris found his new destination on another practice squad--with the Dallas Cowboys per Mike Garafolo.
Add us as a preferred source on Google