The Atlanta Falcons have been without Billy Bowman Jr. for so long that his timetable to return is more up in the air than that Pixar movie. He tore his Achilles back in November, but has yet to take part in any practices since he spent all of training camp on the active/PUP list--but a return is coming.
It would've been awfully easy for the Falcons to keep Bowman on the PUP list or place him on short-term IR to start the season--which would keep him out for the first four weeks of 2026. But during yesterday's roster cut deadline, they opted not to do so, keeping him on the active roster instead as one of 13 defensive backs on the initial roster.
You don't have to be Rain Man to read between the lines here. That sure sounds like Atlanta is expecting to get the second-year man back at some point during the opening month of the season, and NFL insider Aaron Wilson reported that he passed a physical to be cleared for full contact.
Passed physical: #Falcons Billy Bowman, #Packers Matt Orzech, #Steelers Joey Porter Jr.
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 31, 2026
The Atlanta Falcons are on the verge of getting CB Billy Bowman Jr. back
Just like how Michael Penix Jr. was cleared for full contact, Bowman was too. The 2025 fourth-round pick spent most of training camp off to the side taking part in individual rehab. But near the end of training camp, he was seen watching practice--which was our first hint that a return was looming.
Prior to the team's preseason finale in Miami, the 23-year-old was seen warming up--and The AJC's Daniel Flick captured a video of him backpedaling and doing a hip-turn. And in that video, he looked pretty solid, especially considering he's only roughly nine months removed from Achilles surgery.
Clearly the Dirty Birds feel good about where he's at because they released the man who was likely going to be their Week 1 starter at nickel. Despite keeping a mind-boggling number of DBs on the initial roster, Darnay Holmes wasn't one of them, which bodes well for Bowman's return timeline. Now that he's healthy, they won't have to roll with having 13 DBs on the roster once Week 1 looms.
Wilson's update means that Bowman will start ramping up in practice this week--but an Achilles tear is hard to come back from. While his chances of suiting up against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 13 might not be guaranteed, it's fair to assume a return at some point early on is in the cards. And while we have some clarity, an exact return date or more specific timetable is still a mystery.
The other piece of good news for the Oklahoma product is that he has roughly two weeks of practice before Week 1, and given how much DB depth the Atlanta Falcons currently have, they don't have to rush him back--but even still, his looming return was one of the best pieces of news from roster cuts.
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