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The Falcons had until 6 p.m. to make final cuts, and they got there with about ten minutes to spare. Classic Falcons.
RT @FalconsJAdams: The #Falcons' final cuts: Robert James, James Rodgers, D Johnson, McClendon, DiMarco, M Moore, Manley, Mabin, Replogle
— Atlanta_Falcons (@Atlanta_Falcons) August 31, 2013
There's only three real surprises here. I thought Robert James, by virtue of his special teams play and strong preseason, would make the final 53. It figures that in the first year where he actually does something vaguely impressive, he gets cut. That means that Paul Worrilow and Joplo Bartu both made the roster at linebacker, and it was richly deserved.
The second surprise is Adam Replogle. I thought he had played very well in preseason, and while he needs some work, I fully expect him to make the practice squad. Travian Robertson was a favorite of mine and I worried he'd be cut, but it looks like I wasted my worries there. The final DT rotation will include Corey Peters, Jonathan Babineaux, Peria Jerry and Robertson, with Cliff Matthews occasionally kicking inside.
The third real surprise? The Falcons will carry five running backs. Antone Smith should be ticketed purely for special teams, but if he survives the next week, Josh Vaughan could actually see a few carries. He was very impressive in his limited action, and I'm glad to see him stick.
The rest are more or less expected. Kevin Cone made the final roster. Harland Gunn and Joe Hawley both stick on the line, as well as mammoth but promising project Terren Jones. It's a strong roster, as expected, and it includes several UDFAs who simply blew away the coaching staff. You go for talent, not draft status, so this is very much a welcome development.
Wish them all luck. How many changes do you expect to this tentative final 53?