When Atlanta Falcons rookie WR Zachariah Branch met with reporters after Friday’s practice, he casually mentioned that his former Georgia teammate Cash Jones wasn’t working with the running backs anymore.
“They transitioned him to slot receiver, too,” Branch said.
That’s not a throwaway line or a coincidence. And it’s not just a fun Georgia reunion story. It’s one of the most revealing things the Kevin Stefanski-led Falcons have done since rookie minicamp began.
On paper, Jones came to Atlanta as a running back. That’s how he was listed when he signed as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia. But if you look at how he actually played, the label never quite fit…Now it will.
Kevin Stefanski is preaching versatility, and Cash Jones is the guinea pig
Jones was Georgia’s third-down specialist, the player who caught passes, protected the quarterback, and made plays in space as he finished his college career with 57 catches for 573 yards and six touchdowns, and didn’t record a single drop in 2025.
His best trait was receiving. So when the Falcons put him with the wide receivers on Day 1, they were being honest about what he is. Even further, new head coach Kevin Stefanski has repeated the same phrase since arriving in Atlanta: versatility.
When asked about Branch, Stefanski said: “We are going to throw some things at them and use them in some different positions… (Branch) certainly has inside-outside flex. I don’t think there is a limit to where he can line up on the field.”
That quote wasn’t just about Branch. It was about the type of offense Stefanski wants to build. An offense where players aren’t boxed into traditional roles. Where running backs catch like receivers. Where receivers move into the backfield. Where defenses can’t key on personnel to predict intent.
Cash Jones being moved to slot receiver is the first real, on-field example of that philosophy.
Transitioning to receiver might actually be Jones’ best path to the roster
At running back, Cash Jones would be buried behind Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr. At wide receiver though? The competition is completely different, and far more open for a niche role.
Jones already runs a 4.44 in the 40, catches naturally, plays all four core special teams, and has experience working in space against linebackers, which Stefanski is ready to take advantage of.
That profile doesn’t seem like an RB3 or RB4. Rather, it feels like a slot gadget receiver and core special teamer, a role every NFL team tries to find on the back-end of the roster. And Stefanski might've just struck gold in that area.
Add us as a preferred source on Google