Atlanta Falcons training camp has been a haven for competition. Whether it's position battles or players looking to fight for a roster spot, everybody has something to prove in Flowery Branch right now--and we've seen the roster embrace the competition that Kevin Stefanski has been preaching.
The Falcons have embarked on position battles all across the roster. The quarterback battle between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa has understandably captured all of the headlines, which has seen many other position battles this summer get overshadowed by what's happening under center.
The Falcons have had open competition at nickel cornerback, right tackle, and inside linebacker where multiple players have taken first team-reps. However, one of the bigger competitions is further down on the depth chart, as the running back room is far from set in stone behind Bijan Robinson.
The Atlanta Falcons have a wide open competition for their RB3 job
Robinson, who just became the highest-paid running back in NFL history after signing a three-year, $66.75 million contract extension to remain in Atlanta. And behind him will be Brian Robinson Jr., whom the team signed to replace Tyler Allgeier--who is seemingly thriving in his new role in Arizona.
However, the RB3 job is as wide open as it gets. The Dirty Birds are holding open competitions between three players: Nate Carter, Tyler Goodson, and undrafted rookie Cash Jones. Carter took on the role last season, but Goodson and Jones were players this new regime brought in, which counts.
Let's start with Nate the Great. The Falcons signed the 24-year-old as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan State after the 2025 NFL Draft--and he was their training camp darling last summer. He played well in the preseason and displayed nice explosiveness, so he won the RB3 battle last year.
He also has the ability to play on special teams, but so does his competition. Atlanta signed Goodson to a one-year deal in free agency after he spent the last three seasons backing up Jonathan Taylor in Indianapolis-- and he turned heads earlier this offseason when mandatory minicamp was going on.
As for Cash Jones, he's the wild card in this competition. The Falcons were in the process of converting the undrafted free agent out of Georgia into a slot receiver in OTAs, but ever since training camp started, he's gotten more work as a running back since Robinson Jr. was banged up.
Jones is more of a receiving back than anything, as he had more carries than rush attempts in college, but he would be an interesting developmental project for this new regime to pursue. However, it sounds like he's more of a practice squad stash and this will be either Carter or Goodson.
Whether it's the incumbent from last season in Nate Carter, the new blood in Tyler Goodson, or the wild card in Cash Jones who becomes the Falcons' RB3, one thing is for certain: this while be an underrated yet exciting position battle going forward.
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