The Curious Case Of Dominique Davis

The Falcons entered the offseason with questions surrounding the offensive line, pass rush and the new coordinators in place. No one expected a undrafted rookie to take depth chart by storm in a matter of weeks.

Dominique Davis made his name know early on in the preseason. He first caught my eye at rookie camp, and since then has managed to impress the majority of Falcons nation.

Since Davis started his run on the depth chart, we've seen the departure of John Parker Wilson and Chris Redman, two names who have been around the franchise for several years now. It's clear the Falcons see something special in Davis. Maybe it's due to his 227 passing yards and two touchdowns he's thrown in three games of limited action.

A growing concern is coming to light, though, as roster cuts loom on the horizon. Take a jump and learn more about the current situation.

Atlanta will have to narrow its list of players down to 53 on Friday. Once this routine is over, the Falcons are able to sign players who did not make the active roster to the practice squad. However, these players must clear waivers before the process is complete.

There is no doubt other teams have taken note of Davis throughout preseason. With plenty of teams still in need of quality quarterbacks, he could easily be snatched up if he is not named to the active roster.

Fortunately there are two things working in the Falcons favor here. First, any team that claims Davis must add him to their active roster immediately. That's a big leap of faith for a team to clear a roster spot right away for a first-year QB. Second, Atlanta would be able to match any claim put in for Davis. They would have to then add him to the 53-man roster right away, but at least there's a last resort in this case.

Yes. They would have 2 add him to 53-man roster immediately >> RT @alex__welch: @knoxbardeen Can the Falcons match offer if claim is put in?

— Knox Bardeen (@knoxbardeen) August 30, 2012

Big thanks to Knox for helping me out with the questions I had. He also wrote about Davis yesterday and his rapid ascent in Atlanta this offseason.

Another conflict revolves around Luke McCown, the only other backup for Matt Ryan. McCown is out of practice squad eligibility, so if he does not make the final roster, he's packing his bags.

With all this in mind, a question is posed. Do the Falcons relegate Davis to the practice squad and run the risk of another team claiming him, or do they go ahead and keep him on heading into the regular season? McCown is not a good quarterback, let's go ahead and admit that. He's here because he's a veteran who knows Koetter's system. If he was ever called in to take over for Ryan, it would likely be a debacle. There is still an obvious drop off if Davis takes the helm, but he at least has the ability to make plays with his arm and his feet. Yes, he's been playing against second and third-string players. I'll still take my chances with the rookie.

The Falcons do not typically carry three quarterbacks. JPW was only added to the active roster last year because of the Vikings attempt to sign him. It won't be the end of the world if Davis goes on waivers, as the Falcons have the final say in that matter. But, he's the best bet for No. 2 right now as far as ability and talent goes. What do you guys think the Falcons should do here?