4 most shocking players left off Falcons initial 53-man roster

The Atlanta Falcons' initial 53-man roster was a weird combination of surprising yet predictable. I know those two words don't make sense together but I will explain.

Every player who made the roster was one you wouldn't have been surprised to see written down in late August. That is the predictable part. The surprising part is not having any players who separated themselves on the field during preseason make the final roster—two names in particular.

Usually, a player or two will go from easy cuts to making the roster thanks to a strong preseason. That was not the case for these four players.

Four most surprising players left off the Falcons' final roster

1. Chris Blair, WR

This one is obvious, Chris Blair was one of the biggest standouts during three preseason games. He ended the series of games as one of the leaders in receiving yards in the NFL.

Not only did he prove himself, but the situation appeared to be in his favor. Zac Robinson's offense calls for a lot of 11 personnel, meaning three receivers. Common sense would tell you that putting more receivers on the field would mean the need for more depth at the position. However, that was not the case as the Falcons only kept five.

Nevertheless, seeing him land on the practice squad is a relief. He will undoubtedly find himself in the middle of the action at some point during the season.

2. Natrone Brooks, CB

Is there anything better than seeing a cornerback play like his hair is on fire? Natrone Brooks did just that proving to everyone he wanted a spot in the NFL.

The fact that Brooks had double-digit tackles in the second game is ridiculous. It is an achievement when a linebacker reaches that mark, let alone a cornerback.

Sure, the coverage wasn't always perfect but he showed he was more than capable of playing the position. He was physical, fast, smart, and motivated. Much like Blair, it's great to see him on the practice squad.

3. Zion Logue

If you had asked anyone what Zion Logue's fate would be following the second preseason game, the clear-cut answer would be getting cut. Nevertheless, Logue turned up the dial in the final game as he was one of the few players who dominated the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Seeing a player of his size stack blocks and make plays against the run isn't surprising. Seeing someone like him getting pressure on the quarterback thanks to quickness is surprising. He did both of those things and when you combine it with the fact he was a draft pick, you had to think he had a great shot at making the roster.

Eddie Goldman's experience took precedence over the rookie. Logue is in a good place on the practice squad as he looks to develop into an overwhelming force.

4. Carlos Washington Jr., RB

The overall dynamics of the Atlanta Falcons running back room did not favor Carlos Washington Jr. You have the top two guys in Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier and then a special-teams guru in Avery Williams and a late-round pick in Jase McClellan.

Teams don't usually keep five running backs which meant Washington Jr. was the odd man out. However, it was still surprising when you look deeper into the well.

Avery Williams hardly played in the preseason and the Falcons seemingly replaced him as the punt returner with Ray-Ray McCloud III. He still brings return value on kickoffs but that doesn't usually keep you on the roster. He is still a raw running back having switched from defensive back before the 2022 season so it was reasonable to think he could be released in favor of the more natural runner, Carlos Washington Jr.

He had a standout training camp, he has experience in the regular season, and while he didn't put up numbers in the preseason (mostly due to bad blocking), he showed burst and power that you have to like. Luckily, he is still waiting in the depths as a potential practice squad promotion.