First surprise: the team decided to keep all three quarterbacks. The reason for releasing Dominique Davis was that they had intended to keep only two. With the just-acquired Yates as the #2, there was no room for Davis. (At that time, he would not have been eligible for the practice squad. But under the new rules, the team could have kept him and let him compete with the others for a PS job.) He didn't fit their plans, so they let him go immediately, freeing up the roster spot and giving him a chance to land elsewhere. Sean Renfree's strong preseason performances were probably what changed their minds. To put a player on the practice squad, you have to release him first - and hope he clears waivers. There's a good chance that Renfree would have been gone had they released him. They decided they didn't want to risk losing him, which meant keeping him on the roster. Second surprise: Cliff Matthews made the initial roster while Travian Robertson did not. I'm not saying that one player is better than the other, but Matthews would be a DE in the 3-4 and a hybrid DE/3-tech in the four man front. We're already loaded in those spots, with Tyson Jackson, Jonathan Babineaux, Corey Peters and Ra'Shede Hageman as "true" DT / 3-4 DEs and with Malliciah Goodman ahead of Matthews for that hybrid role. Meanwhile, Robertson had been working at the NT spot in the base 3-4, making him a hybrid NT / 3-4 DE / 4-3 DT at either the one tech or three tech spots. We have Paul Soliai as the NT / one tech. Ra'Shede Hageman is probably now the backup there, as we really don't have anyone else left for the job. (Note that the depth chart on the team's official web site lists the 4-2-5 nickel, not the 3-4. Peters is listed as backing up Soliai at the one tech in the nickel, and the team did use him in that role in the 3-4 early last season. But at the time, we didn't have anyone else. Hageman is bigger, and we'll be looking for ways to get him reps. I'm wondering if he'll be the #2 NT.) Third surprise: James Stone made the roster rather than the practice squad, and Harland Gunn was released. Note that Gunn is eligible for one of the "extra" two spots on the practice squad. But keeping Stone on the main roster is a very interesting move. Mainly, it really puts the heat on Peter Konz. He's no longer guaranteed to be active on game day, as he's not the only backup center anymore. Fourth surprise: OLB Tyler Starr made it, while CB Ricardo Allen did not. Both players were likely to be fixtures on the inactive list anyway, so there's really no impact on the roster either way. The surprise is that it's only the second time under MS/TD that we've had a fifth rounder not make the cut his rookie season. (The first was William Middleton in 2009.) So... nothing earth shattering. Next up... will the team make any roster moves off of waivers or trades? We certainly did when rebuilding in 2008 and 2009.
Hey Torgo, I know some will say hell no, but why not go after sam, since the rams cut him. I know he can only pass rush on the edge, but do you thank, he could help the falcons? He has playe well during the preseason, although ithas been against mostly 3rd stringers.
No objections, though I think he needs a little more development time. We probably wouldn't be able to add him to the practice squad though - it would likely be roster or nothing. So the only way to do it would be to bump someone else down to the practice squad. Probably Tyler Starr, since they would play a similar position and role. Latest: Tim Dobbins was cut, and the Falcons claimed an as yet unnamed player off of waivers. ESPN's Vaughan McClure tweeted earlier that he thinks it's LB Nate Stupar, and I agree - there has been no announcement from the team yet, but Stupar is already on the roster list on the team's official web site. So... Dobbins out, Stupar in. Also, eight of the ten practice squad players have been signed. The word from the team is that they'll fill the other two spots tomorrow. The first eight are Travian Robertson, Harland Gunn, Sean Baker, Ricardo Allen, Bernard Reedy, Jacques Smith, Terren Jones, and running back prospect Jerome Smith. The RB is a bit of a surprise. About Stupar: he was a seventh rounder by the Raiders in 2012. He was released early in the 2012 regular season but then signed to the Eagles practice squad. He split 2013 between the 49ers and Jaguars, playing a total of 12 games on special teams. He led the Penn State defense with 80 tackles in 2011. He had pretty good speed and agility numbers at his Combine - shuttle and cone drills comparable to Kroy Biermann (who was listed as a linebacker when drafted), but Stupar was faster in the 40. He also has the bloodlines thing - his uncle is former quarterback Jeff Hostetler. If you want a developmental guy who can play special teams, he fits.
