Falcons 53-Man Roster Revealed: 6 Takeaways from Final Cuts

Full analysis on the Atlanta Falcons' decisions on roster cutdown day.

The Atlanta Falcons' initial 53-man roster has been released, and while it's sure to undergo several changes between now and kickoff against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 10, most things are set.

CLICK HERE to see the Falcons' full roster.

But what's to be made of Atlanta's decisions? Here are six takeaways ...

Falcons Carry 3 QBs

Even before the preseason opener, one of the biggest topics at hand was whether the Falcons would capitalize on the NFL's new rule to allow a third quarterback be inactive on gameday but still eligible to play if needed.

Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke were locks, which turned all attention to Logan Woodside ... who put together a solid overall preseason, completing 70 percent (42 of 60) of his passes for 400 yards while seeing time in all three games.

Evidently, Woodside did enough to earn a spot on Atlanta's roster, and with the relative lack of success for third-string quarterbacks around the league this preseason, it's unlikely he would've made it through waivers.

So, the Falcons opted to go the conservative route and placed an emphasis on having supreme depth under center - and for a team with playoff aspirations, it certainly makes sense.

Igwebuike Misses Cut as Falcons go Light at RB

The Falcons carried four running backs a season ago, but the last one - Avery Williams - was primarily utilized as a return specialist. This year, Atlanta's initial roster features only three ballcarriers: Bijan Robinson, Cordarrelle Patterson and Tyler Allgeier, plus fullback Keith Smith.

Whether Atlanta would once again go with four was a key question entering the day, and with Patterson currently battling a soft tissue injury, it seemed history may repeat itself ... but that's not the way things unfolded.

The loser from this decision is Godwin Igwebuike, who starred in the preseason while rushing for 135 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries. He's also an established kick returner who could certainly fill Patterson's shoes if needed - but the Falcons seemingly don't believe they need the extra body in the room.

Miles Wins Swing Tackle Job

From the start of training camp, Josh Miles was the favorite to be Atlanta's swing tackle, as he received a majority of the second-team reps at left tackle.

But as camp progressed, competition between Miles, Tyler Vrabel and Jalen Mayfield picked up, with it being a legitimate three-horse race entering the preseason finale.

Mayfield was the first to be cut, as the Falcons let him go on Sunday, but Miles vs. Vrabel lasted all the way until official release at 4 p.m. EST - and in the end, the veteran who started in the lead ended up finishing there, too.

All Rookie Draft Picks Make the Cut, Headlined by Gwyn's Surprise

While no undrafted rookies made the team for the first time under coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot, the Falcons' entire six-man draft class is currently slated to be on the active roster, which didn't always seem like the most probable occurrence. 

Of course, first-round running back Bijan Robinson, second-round offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron, third-round defensive end Zach Harrison and fourth-round cornerback Clark Phillips III were all locks, but the status of seventh-round picks DeMarcco Hellams and Jovaughn Gwyn often appeared in doubt.

Hellams was perhaps the biggest riser this preseason, leading the Falcons in tackles (18) and interceptions (two) from his safety position, and it felt like he would ultimately end up on the team.

But Gwyn, who often worked as the third-team center, seemed to be quite the longshot, especially with Atlanta being expected to carry fellow interior offensive linemen Ryan Neuzil and Kyle Hinton.

So, amidst a disappointing offseason for their 2021 draft class, it appears the Falcons are pleased with where the current group of rookies stand entering their first season.

FitzPatrick Beats Hesse for Final TE Spot

Smith is notedly a huge fan of what Parker Hesse brought to the tight end room; the two were together with the Tennessee Titans and reunited in Atlanta, where the former Iowa Hawkeyes standout proved to be a valuable figure, especially as a run blocker.

Last season, Hesse played in all 17 games with seven starts and made nine receptions for 89 yards while contributing to Atlanta's third-ranked rushing offense ... but he lost out to second-year pro John FitzPatrick this summer.

FitzPatrick, drafted in the sixth round in 2022, has yet to make his professional debut, but he was impressive throughout camp and has been lauded for doing many of the same things as Hesse.

So, the Falcons opted for the younger (23 vs. 28), cheaper ($750,000 vs. $940,000, per OverTheCap) option in FitzPatrick, all the while maintaining a similar skill set ... but on a day of tough decisions, this was certainly one of the biggest ones for Smith and staff.

Huggins, Gaziano Make Roster Over Horne

Like Hesse, nose tackle Timmy Horne played in all 17 games last season, doing so after signing as an undrafted free agent and making the team out of camp.

It's one of the biggest examples of just how far ahead this year's Falcons team is from that of last year - and while that's important, the focus here should be on the outstanding month of August that Albert Huggins put together.

Horne didn't lose this job as much as Huggins won it, often creating pressure inside en route to a pair of quarterback hits and half a sack this preseason.

The same is true for Joe Gaziano, who was steady throughout camp but largely flew under the radar. Atlanta opted to carry seven defensive linemen, with Gaziano getting the nod on the outside as the final piece while Huggins beat out Horne for the nose tackle job.

In the coming days, things will almost certainly change - last year, the Falcons picked up offensive lineman Chuma Edoga and defensive end Matt Dickerson off waivers shortly after setting their initial roster.

It's the nature of the league, with over a thousand players hitting the open market after being let go by their team, and Atlanta's pro personnel staff is likely hard at work looking into available options.

How will it all shake out? Who knows - but for now, the Falcons have 53 players on their roster, and with Week 1 just under two weeks away, it's beginning to feel a lot like football season in the South.