Getty Head coach Arthur Smith of the Atlanta Falcons.
On August 16, all 32 NFL teams were to have their rosters down to 85 players by 4 p.m. Eastern time.
The Atlanta Falcons released four players ahead of the deadline, tight end Tucker Fisk, linebacker Rashad Smith, defensive back Tre Webb and punter Seth Vernon. The team also placed cornerback Cornell Armstrong on injured reserve.
Cuts have been made, dropping the roster to 85.
According to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein (via his “From the Perch” podcast), who has been present at every Falcons practice since the start of training camp, “none of these guys that were released should have been a huge surprise, as none of them seem to have a true, true shot at making the roster.”
He also noted that Vernon could return in the future because that seems to happen with Falcons’ punters if they aren’t doing well or get injured.
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Armstrong Heads to IR After Promising Offseason
Armstrong was initially a sixth-round pick out of Southern Miss for the Miami Dolphins in the 2018 draft. He spent one season in Miami and then inked a deal with the Houston Texans, who waived him before the 2021 season started.
Between 2018 and 2020, Armstrong appeared in 30 games for the Dolphins and Texans. He has logged 12 career tackles, primarily on special teams.
The Falcons signed Armstrong to their practice squad in December of last year after losing starting right cornerback Fabian Moreau to a hamstring injury during the Falcons’ 31-17 loss to the Buccaneers in Week 13.
Armstrong was never promoted to the active roster in 2021 but after a strong showing in training camp this offseason, per Rothstein, there was a possibility that he could have seen some action this year. He was also listed behind A.J. Terrell on the team’s first unofficial depth chart.
Armstrong did play a role in the Falcons’ 27-23 preseason win over the Detroit Lions, recording a tackle while playing 22 defensive snaps and eight special teams snaps.
At the moment, it’s unclear if Armstrong suffered his undisclosed injury during the preseason opener or at practice, but he is set to be sidelined for the 2022 campaign.
His injury gives Mike Ford and Dee Alford a better shot at making it through the final roster cuts on August 30.
In fact, Alford has been having such a good training camp, that he “may have passed Cornell on the depth chart” prior to Armstrong’s injury, according to Rothstein on his podcast.
What’s Next for the Falcons?
The Falcons’ next deadline for roster cuts is set for next Tuesday, August 23. The Falcons will need to release at least five more players to get their roster down to 80. The following, the Falcons will make their final cuts for the 53-man roster.
Until then, Atlanta has two more preseason games left to get a better feel of who to keep and who to let go of. They’ll have combined practice with the New York Jets over the weekend and face them on Monday night at MetLife Stadium.
For their final preseason matchup, the Falcons will have joint practices with the Jacksonville Jaguars in Flowery Branch and then play them on Saturday, August 27.
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