Here are today’s reserve/futures deals:
Arizona Cardinals
Kansas City Chiefs
- WR Joe Fortson, DT Braxton Hoyett, TE Nick Keizer, DB Chris Lammons, DL Devaroe Lawrence, DB Elijah McGuire, QB Kyle Shurmur, LB Emmanuel Smith, RB Mike Weber
Here are today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Jalen Davis
- Waived: DL Caraun Reid
Miami Dolphins
- Signed off Seattle’s practice squad: CB Linden Stephens
- Waived: CB Chris Lammons
Washington Redskins
- Placed on IR: S Deshazor Everett
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Darvin Kidsy
Here are the New Year’s Day reserve/futures contract decisions:
Cincinnati Bengals
- K Tristan Vizcaino
Detroit Lions
- QB Connor Cook
Miami Dolphins
- LB James Burgess
- C Connor Hilliard
- S Chris Lammons
- DT Jamiyus Pittman
- LB Quentin Poling
- DE Jeremiah Valoaga
Oakland Raiders
- WR Saeed Blacknall
- RB James Butler
- LB Cayson Collins
- LB James Cowser
- WR Rashard Davis
- DB Makinton Dorleant
- P Drew Kaser
- QB Nathan Peterman
- FB Ryan Yurachek
San Francisco 49ers
- OL Christian DiLauro
- TE Marcus Lucas
- DB Tarvarus McFadden
- WR Jordan Smallwood
- G Najee Toran
- S Terrell Williams
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Thurston Armbrister
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed RB Jeremy Langford
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: TE Nick Keizer
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Francis Owusu, S Chris Lammons
New Orleans Saints
- Released: QB J.T. Barrett
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Mark Thompson
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: LB James Cowser, WR Johnny Holton
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Tyrone Swoopes
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Donnie Ernsberger
One team made a practice squad addition on Saturday.
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: QB J.T. Barrett
- Cut: DB Chris Lammons
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Darian Thompson, WR Bernard Reedy
- Cut: CB Demetrious Cox, LB Nigel Harris
Carolina Panthers
- Released: WR DeAndrew White
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Tyrell Adams
- Cut: CB Breon Borders
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Skai Moore, TE Erik Swoope, RB Jonathan Williams
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: OL Jamar McGloster
- Waived: DT Steven Richardson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DE/OLB Ja’Von Rolland-Jones, DB Linden Stephens
- Cut: DE Marcus Martin
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DT Garrison Smith
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Darius Hillary, G Will Holden, DB Chris Lammons, WR Tanner McEvoy
- Released: QB J.T. Barrett, T Rick Leonard, DB Arrion Springs, TE Deon Yelder
New York Giants
- Signed: T Jylan Ware
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB Kyle Wilson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Chad Hansen, LB LaTroy Lewis
- Cut: WR Kalif Raymond
Washington Redskins
- Signed: RB Mack Brown
The Falcons have trimmed down their roster. The team announced that they’ve reduced their roster to 52 players, meaning they’re leaving one spot open for a potential free agent addition.
We learned yesterday that the organization was moving on from defensive back Ron Parker and offensive lineman Austin Pasztor. The rest of the team’s moves are below:
Waived:
- QB Kurt Benkert
- WR Christian Blake
- FS Marcelis Branch
- OT Daniel Brunskill
- DB Deante Burton
- WR Dontez Byrd
- LB Jonathan Celestin
- DE Mackendy Cheridor
- DB Secdrick Cooper
- RB Justin Crawford
- DT Jon Cunningham
- WR Reggie Davis
- OG Jamil Douglas
- LB Emmanuel Ellerbee
- FB Jalston Fowler
- TE Jaeden Graham
- S Tyson Graham
- TE Alex Gray
- WR Devin Gray
- QB Garrett Grayson
- OG Sean Harlow
- C J.C. Hassenauer
- DE J.T. Jones
- WR Lamar Jordan
- DB Chris Lammons
- RB Terrence Magee
- TE Troy Mangen
- K David Marvin
- DB Ryan Neal
- LB Emmanuel Smith
- DT Garrison Smith
- K Giorgio Tavecchio
- DT Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
- OG Salesi Uhatafe
- WR Julian Williams
- LB Anthony Winbush
Waived/injured:
The Falcons have signed a whopping 27 undrafted free agents. Here is the full rundown:
- Kurt Benkert, QB (Virginia)
- Christian Blake, WR (Northern Illinois)
- Dontez Byrd, WR (Tennessee Tech)
- Jontey Byrd, DL (Kent State)
- Mackendy Cheridor, DL (Georgia State)
- Detrich Clark, WR (Colorado State)
- Matt Gono, OL (Wesley College)
- Secdrick Cooper, S (Louisiana Tech)
- Justin Crawford, RB (West Virginia)
- Emmanuel Ellerbee, LB (Rice)
- Devin Gray, WR (Cincinnati)
- J.C. Hassenauer, OL (Alabama)
- Richard Jarvis, LB (Brown)
- Lamar Jordan, QB/WR (New Mexico)
- Chris Lammons, S (South Carolina)
- David Martin, K (Georgia)
- Troy Mangen, TE (Ohio)
- Luke McNitt, FB (Nebraska)
- Daniel Marx, FB (Stanford)
- Joseph Putu, CB (Florida)
- Demario Richard, RB (Arizona State)
- Jake Roh, TE (Boise State)
- Emmanuel Smith, LB (Vanderbilt)
- Jacob Tuioti-Mariner, DL (UCLA)
- Salesi Uhatafe, OL (Utah)
- Anthony Winbush, LB (Ball State)
- Malik Williams, RB (Louisville)
Most NFL teams do not employ a fullback but the Falcons rostered one last year in Derrick Coleman, so McNitt and Marx may have a shot at making the team. At quarterback, there may be an opportunity for Benkert and Lamar Jordan to unseat Garrett Grayson as the third QB (assuming Jordan is being evaluated as a QB), though they are well set with Matt Schaub as the primary backup to Matt Ryan.
Benkert received a $60K guarantee to sign, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets, so it’s clear that the Falcons think highly of him. Benkert started his collegiate career at East Carolina before transferring to Virginia for the 2016 season. In two years as Virginia’s starter, he completed 57.7% of his passes with 46 touchdowns against 21 interceptions.
In other Falcons news, GM Thomas Dimitroff recently addressed speculation about the team’s relationship with star Julio Jones. The Falcons also triggered the fifth-year option for defensive end Vic Beasley recently.