Cover 9@9: Falcons’ opening-day roster is not set

Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot (left) and head coach Arthur Smith still could tweak their roster.   “Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@ajc.com”

Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@

Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@

Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot (left) and head coach Arthur Smith still could tweak their roster. “Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@ajc.com”

(Here’s our weekly nine items at 9 a.m. Wednesday on the Atlanta Falcons, otherwise known as the Cover 9@9 blog!)

1. The no-spin zone: Falcons coach Arthur Smith made a point to use the word “initial” when describing the team’s cut down to 53 players by the 4 p.m. Tuesday deadline.

General manager Terry Fontenot and his staff started studying the other 31 rosters last Thursday with a goal of identifying talent that would be waived. The team was expected to get the final official list from the league about 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Several members were set to work all night breaking down the film in order to decide who to make waiver claims on. After going 4-12 last season, the Falcons have the fourth spot – like in the draft – for waiver claims.

The Falcons kept three quarterbacks on the initial roster, but may want to sign quarterback Trevor Siemian, who played with Smith last season in Tennessee and has started NFL games.

Jacksonville, the New York Jets and Texans are ahead of the Falcons. The waiver wire will stay in the worst to first draft order until after the third regular-season week.

A problem for the Falcons could be that Saints reportedly also want to re-sign Siemian.

Also, the Falcons could look for some help for the interior of their offensive line. The Falcons have young developing players in Jalen Mayfield and Drew Dalman. Josh Andrews is currently the starting left guard with Jason Spriggs, who was a second-round bust in Green Bay, as the backup swing tackle.

Former Georgia wide receive Riley Ridley, the brother of Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley, was released by the Chicago Bears. The Falcons could try to re-unite the brothers.

Center Matt Skura, who started 51 of 54 games for the Ravens from 2017 to 2020, was cut by the Dolphins.

2. Practice squad. Also, the Falcons have to cull together their 16-man practice squad. Smith pushed practice back to 1 p.m. on Wednesday with the hopes of having some of the practice-squad members available.

Wide receiver Juwan Green, running back Caleb Huntley, linebacker Emmanuel Ellerbee and offensive lineman Ryan Neuzil are expected to be added back to the practice squad if they clear waivers.

3. Blank optimistic. Falcons owner Arthur Blank is optimistic that the team will be competitive in 2021. We sat down with Blank on Tuesday to discuss several topics including the upcoming season.

4. Congratulations to the Haleys: Congratulations to Falcons PR man Matt Haley and his wife Amanda on the recent birth of their baby daughter Charlotte.

Because dad’s a runner we’ll be expecting a 40-yard dash time in a few months.

5. Patriots cut Cam Newton. Folks in Cleveland are still mad at Bill Belichick for cutting local legend Bernie Kosar from the Browns back in the day.

Add Cam Newton, the pride of Westlake High and Heisman Trophy winner at Auburn, to Belichick’s list of high-profile quarterbacks he cut.

The Patriots released Newton hours before NFL teams cut down to 53 players on Tuesday. Newton went 7-8 as the starter in his first season with the Patriots, who are set to move on to rookie Mac Jones of Alabama.

Newton started each of New England’s three exhibition games, but also missed five days of practice leading into Sunday’s exhibition finale against the New York Giants after a “misunderstanding” of NFL COVID-19 protocols. It required him to sit out a mandatory five-day waiting period for unvaccinated players after he attended an out-of-town doctor’s appointment.

The Falcons are in the backup quarterback market. Should they go after Newton?

6. Vote for the high school coach of the week: The NFL and Falcons will recognize 10 high school varsity tackle and girls flag football head coaches across the states of Georgia and Alabama throughout the 2021 season with the coach of the week award, presented by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, for their work in making a difference in student-athletes lives on and off the field.

Nominations are accepted (click here to nominate a coach) and reviewed by the Falcons.

7. Blank donates $1 million: Blank announced two grants through his family foundation totaling $1 million to the American Red Cross and the Greater New Orleans Foundation in response to the impact of Hurricane Ida in Louisiana and Mississippi.

“This storm’s impact on many people and communities will be felt for some time and that includes many of our family, friends and associates across our portfolio of businesses and foundation who have personal connections to the Gulf Coast,” said Blank in a statement. “Many of the communities being devastated by this storm are already reeling from COVID. So many are without power and resources are already stretched thin, so it is not only impacting those who were in the storm’s path, but also those who’ve been called upon to help those areas get back on their feet. We are in a time of crisis, and we’re so grateful for the first responders, health-care workers and other public servants who are already going above and beyond. We hope to play a small part in helping those communities recover by supporting two organizations providing relief on the ground. We encourage others to join the effort to lift those impacted by this storm.”

8. Blank fantasy team: Blank told the AJC he definitely plans to draft Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts for his fantasy team.

9. Depth chart: There were few surprises as the Falcons cut down to 53 players Tuesday.

This is the initial roster, but it likely will have several subtractions and additions before the Falcons face the Eagles on Sept. 12 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the season opener. The team has said the roster will be fluid throughout the season.

Quarterback Feleipe Franks and linebacker Dorian Etheridge were the only undrafted rookies to make the initial cutdown.

Here’s the unofficial projected depth chart. The Falcons will release their first official regular-season depth chart of the season Sept. 7.

OFFENSE

WR - Calvin Ridley, Christian Blake, Frank Darby

TE - Kyle Pitts, Hayden Hurst

LT - Jake Matthews, Jason Spriggs

LG - Josh Andrews, Jaylen Mayfield

C - Matt Hennessy, Drew Dalman

RG - Chris Lindstrom, Drew Dalman

RT - Kaleb McGary, Jason Spriggs

TE - Lee Smith

WR - Russell Gage, Olamide Zaccheaus, Tajae Sharpe

RB - Mike Davis, Cordarrelle Patterson, Keith Smith, Qadree Ollison

QB - Matt Ryan, Josh Rosen, Feleipe Franks

DEFENSE

DL - Grady Jarrett, Marlon Davidson, Ta’Quon Graham

NT - Tyeler Davison

DL - Jonathan Bullard, John Cominsky

OLB - Jacob Tuioti-Mariner, Brandon Copeland, Adetokunbo Ogundeji

ILB - Deion Jones, Mykal Walker

ILB - Foyesade Oluokun, Dorian Etheridge

OLB – Dante Fowler, Steven Means

LCB - A.J. Terrell, Kendall Sheffield, Avery Williams

FS - Erik Harris, T.J. Green, Richie Grant

SS - Duron Harmon, Jaylinn Hawkins

RCB - Fabian Moreau, Isaiah Oliver, Darren Hall

SPECIAL TEAMS

K - Younghoe Koo, Cameron Nizialek

P - Cameron Nizialek

LS - Josh Harris, Jake Matthews

H - Cameron Nizialek

PR - Avery Williams

KOR - Cordarrelle Patterson, Avery Williams

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Falcons’ 2021 schedule features trip to London, January trip to Buffalo