This is the part of the NFL's roster cut deadline that really sucks. Shortly after teams release their initial 53, waiver claims come in which sees teams shake things up. And one of the busiest teams on the waiver wire was the Atlanta Falcons, who claimed three players, including OT Cameron Williams.
Williams was a sixth-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025. but only fell down the draft board due to injury. And with all of the Eagles ties this Falcons front office has, it's not super surprising he ended up here--especially considering they have a need for depth at the backup tackle spots.
Currently, Atlanta's backup tackles are Michael Jerrell (LT) and rookie Ethan Onianwa (RT), but signing Williams feels like a sign they aren't particularly comfortable with how things look. He'll likely push Onianwa for the backup right tackle job, and could eventually be the reason he ends up getting cut.
Ethan Onianwa has new competition for the Falcons' backup right tackle job
Atlanta drafted Ethan Onianwa in the seventh round of April's draft, selecting him with the 231st overall pick. That's about as much of a dart throw as it gets--and they likely took him thinking Bill Callahan can work his magic with him. It was much more surprising to see him make the roster.
The 23-year-old made the initial 53 after Wanya Morris was surprisingly released, but signing Williams denotes they're not super comfortable with him. After all, they'd be one Jawaan Taylor injury from having an inexperienced rookie protect Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa's blind side as the RT.
And given Onianwa looked pretty overwhelmed (albeit against stronger competition in the preseason), it would've been awfully easy for the Dirty Birds to cut ties with him. They could stash him on the practice squad where Callahan can still develop him without wasting a roster spot on him.
While Onianwa wasn't a direct release in correspondence to Monday's claims, his roster spot still isn't safe. Them signing Cameron Williams in the first place makes it sound like they want a more experienced backup to Taylor, and from where I'm sitting, the Ohio State product isn't ready for real playing time.
While Williams doesn't have much NFL experience, there is a lot to be excited about. He stands at 6-foot-5 and 317 pounds, and only got cut by the Eagles because he hardly saw the field in a crowded OL room. But he was productive while at Texas and was impressive in pass protection this preseason.
Claiming Cameron Williams can feel like an iconsequential move, but if you look closely enough, the Atlanta Falcons could prefer him as the RT2 to Ethan Onianwa.
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