Deone Bucannon fills 16th and final practice squad spot for Falcons

When Steven Means re-joined the roster on Tuesday after his stint on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Deone Bucannon was somewhat surprisingly the man who the team cut. He didn’t spend much time out there, though, swiftly re-joining the team’s practice squad.

Bucannon joins Edmond Robinson as the second linebacker on the squad, and fills the 16th and final spot on the practice squad. The Falcons have, for the moment, filled every roster and practice squad slot heading into the Week 1 matchup against the Seahawks.

Bucannon will likely be back on the active roster at some point in 2020, perhaps as soon as this coming week. Teams can now elevate two players from the practice squad to the roster each week, and given that they’re only carrying four linebackers it might make sense to do just that. Each players can only be elevated and returned to the practice squad twice per season, however, so they may choose their spots more carefully with the former first round pick.

Bucannon joined the Falcons this offseason with the hopes of competing for a reserve role, and given his athleticism, experience, and positional versatility, it looked likely he’d capture a spot. Subsequently, Mykal Walker had a very strong summer and earned the top backup gig at linebacker, while LaRoy Reynolds nailed down his role thanks to the team’s regard for his special teams value. With Keanu Neal potentially playing in a hybrid linebacker/safety role this season and Jaylinn Hawkins offering the same kind of versatility, the Falcons likely feel they just don’t need five linebackers on the roster for the moment, though that’s subject to change at any time.

We’re glad Bucannon stayed in the fold, though, and we’ll see what lies ahead for him in Atlanta.