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In backup quarterback news this week, we have some third-string revelations. Following Kurt Benkert’s unfortunate injury, which ended up placing him in injured reserve, the Falcons were left with a vacant QB3 spot on the roster. They ended up signing Matt Simms, but it turns out that he wasn’t their primary preference.
#Falcons sidenote: Before calling Matt Simms, they called former #Saints & #Falcons QB Garrett Grayson, I’m told. Grayson told them he is walking away from football at this time, but he appreciated the offer. https://t.co/VuErlZHCbs
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 8, 2019
Garrett Grayson, the former four-year starter at Colorado State, who was a wasted third-round pick by the New Orleans Saints, was the first option to fill Benkert’s vacated spot in the quarterback room.
Grayson was boasted about by Saints fans as the next great QB on their team’s roster, and he ended up appearing in a grand total of one regular season game in his NFL career. There was some potential there, however, as he did explode to the tune of 4,006 passing yards and a TD/INT ratio of 32 touchdowns against 7 interceptions in his senior year at Colorado State in 2014.
Things didn’t work out in New Orleans, and Grayson was subsequently cut from his first NFL home in 2017. He was signed to Atlanta’s practice squad one month later. He didn’t end up sticking in Atlanta either, and found himself on Denver’s practice squad before getting cut for a final time in May of this year.
The door was re-opened for him to have a legitimate chance to compete for a roster spot with the Falcons this year, but he seems to have seriously stepped from the game of football once and for all.
Matt Schaub looked awful in the Hall of Fame Game, and the last time we had seen Simms was in the AAF, where he was getting benched in favor of Aaron Murray.
Pray for Matt Ryan’s good health.