Falcons release 53 man roster for 2021

The Falcons have released their long-awaited 53 man roster, and it features at least a couple of surprises for those of us who have been avidly watching training camp and preseason unfold.

The biggest? Atlanta is at least temporarily keeping three quarterbacks, meaning Josh Rosen and Feleipe Franks are both in the fold for the moment. Promising undrafted free agents Caleb Huntley and John Raine didn’t make the squad, leaving rookie Dorian Etheridge and Franks as the sole undrafted players to earn spots on the initial roster. The team went leaner than expected at running back, at least from my perspective, and at tight end in service of keeping six wide receivers, and they have unexpectedly kept 11 defensive backs. Kendall Sheffield may be headed for injured reserve, as by waiting until after the 4 p.m. deadline to do, the team can bring him off of IR at some point in 2021.

A note, as always: Post-cutdown roster additions are not just a possibility but a likelihood, so this may not be the roster we see for Week 1 against the Eagles. It’s close enough to start reacting to, though, so go nuts.

Falcons 53 man roster

QB Matt Ryan
QB Josh Rosen
QB Feleipe Franks

RB Mike Davis
RB Cordarrelle Patterson
RB Qadree Ollison

FB Keith Smith

WR Calvin Ridley
WR Russell Gage
WR Olamide Zaccheaus
WR Tajae Sharpe
WR Christian Blake
WR Frank Darby

TE Kyle Pitts
TE Hayden Hurst
TE Lee Smith

OT Jake Matthews
OT Kaleb McGary
OT Jason Spriggs

OG Josh Andrews
OG Chris Lindstrom
OG/OT Jalen Mayfield
OG/OC Drew Dalman

OC Matt Hennessy

DL Grady Jarrett
DL Jon Bullard
DL Marlon Davidson
DL Tyeler Davison
DL John Cominsky
DL Ta’Quon Graham

OLB Dante Fowler
OLB Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
OLB Steven Means
OLB Ade Ogundeji
OLB Brandon Copeland

ILB Deion Jones
ILB Foye Oluokun
ILB Mykal Walker
ILB Dorian Etheridge

CB A.J. Terrell
CB Fabian Moreau
CB Isaiah Oliver
CB Kendall Sheffield
CB Darren Hall
CB Avery Williams

S Duron Harmon
S Erik Harris
S Richie Grant
S Jaylinn Hawkins
S/CB T.J. Green

K Younghoe Koo

P Cameron Nizialek

LS Josh Harris