:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/18709131/20120512_jla_sz2_316.0.jpg)
The axe has landed on a grand total of 11 Falcons and placed two on injured reserve. With the roster cutdown deadline a day away, the team has shaved its roster down to 62 players, meaning there's only nine cuts to go.
RT @FalconsJAdams: The Falcons have waived: Banks, Goins, Huynh, T Johnson, Mitchell, Regis, Savoie, Schiller, Shelley, Thompson, Wingo.
— Atlanta_Falcons (@Atlanta_Falcons) August 30, 2013
The Surprise
- Charles Mitchell. A sixth-round pick a year ago, Mitchell had plenty of talent and wasn't awful this preseason, so I'm a bit surprised by the cut. The Falcons now have Shann Schillinger, Zeke Motta and Kemal Ishmael duking it out for a backup role, and Schillinger's special teams value may well save his roster spot.
The Injured
-
Sean Renfree hurt his shoulder in the last preseason game just last night. There are two possibilities here: Either Renfree hurt that shoulder badly, or the Falcons are using the injury as a pretext to stash a promising young quarterback without having to expose him on the practice squad.
- Andrew Szczerba has some promise as a blocker and pass catcher, and could be a third tight end down the line. This year, he's on injured reserve, and the Falcons will be able to stash him.
The Rest
- None of these are surprises. Matt Bryant is locked in, so Jeremy Shelley had to go. Dominique Franks has all but won the fifth cornerback job, with only Jason Mabin left to give him any competition after Terrance Johnson and Peyton Thompson were let go. Theo Goins and Alec Savoie fell behind Harland Gunn, Jacques McClendon and Ryan Schraeder, to name a few. Ronnie Wingo couldn't hang when Josh Vaughan and Antone Smith were both playing well.
- We already covered Banks and Schiller.
What's Next?
The Falcons still have to trim nine players by 6 p.m. tomorrow evening, which they'll likely do in 1-2 batches between now and then.
Share your predictions for who is getting cut next. I wish all of these guys well.