Atlanta Falcons Bring Back Familiar Face, Sign WR Damiere Byrd to Practice Squad

The Atlanta Falcons are signing Damiere Byrd to the practice squad.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 19, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are welcoming back a familiar face.

According to team reporter Tori McElhaney, the Falcons are signing Damiere Byrd to the practice squad.

Byrd, 30, was on the Carolina Panthers practice squad for the first six weeks of the season after being cut by the team following training camp.

Last season, Byrd caught 13 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard score from quarterback Marcus Mariota in Week 7. Byrd gives the Falcons a deep threat to work with in an offense with a lot of different weapons.

Atlanta Falcons receiver Damiere Byrd / USA Today Sports

"Yeah, I think when you’re talking about backing people off, safeties or whatnot. Damiere [Byrd] did," coach Arthur Smith said. "That one was a two-minute situation before the half in Cincinnati. ... Certainly it does help because you have to know the guy can launch it 60 yards, and you have a guy that can legitimately go get it.”

Overall, the speedster Byrd has 130 career receptions, 1,689 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in stints with the Arizona Cardinals, Panthers, New England Patriots and the Chicago Bears.

The addition of Byrd, (5-9, 175 pounds) doesn’t mean the end of the Falcons’ search for more production at wide receiver; he is something short of a blue-chip guy, having entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2015.

Though not likely, Byrd will have a chance to be elevated from the practice squad this weekend when the Falcons visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kickoff is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium.

Published Oct 19, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.