The Atlanta Falcons‘ running back depth just got concerningly thin on Tuesday.
The Falcons are losing their third-string RB to the Dallas Cowboys, directly out of their building and heading down to join Jerry Jones’ team in the Lone Star State.
The news came out Tuesday morning: Tyler Goodson was signed off the practice squad by the Cowboys.
A player on a team’s practice squad can be signed to another team’s 53-man roster, and that’s what Dallas is doing.
The Cowboys are signing RB Tyler Goodson off the #Falcons practice squad, per @AaronWilson_NFL.
Risk you take with just 2 RBs on the active roster.
— Miles Garrett (@MilesGarrettTV) September 15, 2026
Goodson, most known in the NFL for his time in the Colts, played well in the preseason for the Falcons.
He wasn’t active for Week 1, though, and now he’s gone.
Why Falcons Lost Tyler Goodson
The main issue here is that the Falcons chose to keep Goodson on the practice squad rather than the active roster.
Atlanta made the rare choice for Week 1 to have just two RBs on the 53-man roster. Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr. are clearly solid backs to have, but most teams will have at least three available on gamedays.
Because the Falcons used those roster spots for other players, Goodson was left exposed if another team wanted to swoop in and snag him.
Goodson has played in 33 NFL games, all with the Colts, and has 54 runs for 264 yards and a touchdown, in addition to 19 catches for 103 yards and another score.
He joined the Falcons this offseason to provide depth, but for whatever reason, they didn’t feel he deserved a spot on the Week 1 standard roster.
His departure almost certainly ensures the Falcons will sign a new RB. The only back they still have on the practice squad is undrafted Cash Jones out of Georgia.
Why Cowboys Signed Tyler Goodson
This move makes perfect sense for Dallas, with their depth chart behind Javonte Williams a mess.
They cut Jaydon Blue before the season to let Malik Davis be the primary backup, but then Davis hurt his hip in practice leading up to Week 1 and will be out a while.
They had Emari Demercado, new to their organization, as the RB2 on Sunday Night Football to open the season, but it was clear they needed more depth.
Goodson can provide the needed surplus in their running back room to ensure Williams isn’t overworked early in the season.
He’s the kind of RB that could eventually turn into a journeyman type, and if that happens, he’ll be able to say he played for the Falcons — but only in the preseason — before joining one of the NFL’s marquee franchises in Dallas.
Falcons Lose RB to Cowboys Sudden Signing