We\u2019re wrapping preseason on Friday night, blessedly, which means most of our battles for starting jobs and key reserve roles should be settled. Right?<\/p>\n
Well, no. While kicker is all but declared, QB3 is done, and inside linebacker is extremely set, we\u2019re either looking at heavy rotations or undeclared battles on this list in many other spots. That speaks to healthy competition and Raheem Morris\u2019s desire to keep things close to the vest, but it does mean the third preseason game may have outsized importance for a handful of positions. Or Morris could tip his hand by sitting, say, Xavier Watts, which would give us a clue.<\/p>\n
Either way, here\u2019s a final look at the list of battles before a final preseason game and roster cuts tell the rest of the story.<\/p>\n
Safety: A close battle winds down<\/p>\n
Injury may well decide this one. DeMarcco Hellams didn\u2019t appear in Week 2 and was in a yellow no-contact pinnie at Monday\u2019s practice, so it\u2019s possible he does not get into the third preseason game at all.<\/p>\n
Hellams looked terrific in his one effort, so I\u2019m not willing to rule him out for this just yet. But in a very close battle where Jordan Fuller and Xavier Watts have had their moments, I\u2019ve got to give the edge to the rookie the Falcons have been enamored with since well before they drafted him.<\/p>\n
Is that based on anything in particular? Watts got first team reps at safety on Monday at practice and a longer look than Jordan Fuller on Friday night, but that doesn\u2019t tell us much. Fuller has probably been a little steadier overall in preseason action, but Watts is the future at the position and has held his own, and I have to think that\u2019s enough to get him this job. I would not bet a large sum of money on any one man here, though, and as I said last week that\u2019s a good problem for this Falcons defense to have.<\/p>\n
Expected winner: Xavier Watts<\/p>\n
Nickel cornerback: A two man battle<\/p>\n
Everything is pointing toward Alford being the starter at the moment, despite Billy Bowman getting some first team reps at Monday\u2019s practice and a smattering of other times during the summer. He\u2019s had a fine summer, he\u2019s been the starting nickel each of these last two weeks in preseason, and Friday night was a strong effort on limited snaps.<\/p>\n
This is Bowman\u2019s job down the line\u2014perhaps even before the season is over, given his playmaking ability\u2014but Alford was keen to make his case that last year\u2019s struggles were more about the defense he was playing in than Alford himself. Aside from a bad end zone coverage rep in the first preseason game, he\u2019s largely showed that, and now has to carry that over to the regular season.<\/p>\n
Expected winner: Dee Alford<\/p>\n
Kicker: It\u2019s Younghoe Koe\u2019s job, still<\/p>\n
Koo kicked Friday night and made everything, even if a couple of those kicks listed a little dangerously to the side. His consistency in practice and preseason alike have given the coaching staff confidence that a player who was recently one of the league\u2019s more reliable kickers is back to his old level. If he\u2019s fully healthy, every indication we have is that he\u2019s got the job, something Raheem Morris all but came out and said the other day.<\/p>\n
If Koo is over his battle with accuracy and his injury, this is done and dusted, and the Falcons should be much better for it. But that still leaves the question of Krieg.<\/p>\n
Interestingly, Krieg has been handling kickoffs throughout preseason, and minus one short of the landing zone penalty, has been excellent in that regard. I don\u2019t know how much of him we\u2019ll see in the third preseason game, but I do feel pretty confident he\u2019ll be handling those duties again. On balance, Krieg has looked good enough that there\u2019s a non-zero chance he\u2019ll be lost to waivers if and when the Falcons cut him, given that a handful of teams around the league do not have set kicker situations.<\/p>\n
The Falcons will have to deal with that risk, because they\u2019re invested in a bounceback campaign from Koo, which seems reasonable given that last year was the massive outlier in his career. If all goes well, they\u2019ll have Koo (who is under contract these next two seasons) and Krieg on the practice squad honing his craft.<\/p>\n
Expected winner: Younghoe Koo<\/p>\n
Insider linebacker: Divine Deablo\u2019s show<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no serious momentum from anyone to knock Deablo out of this job. An expected battle with Troy Andersen did not materialize because Andersen is hurt, and the backups have not exactly blown us away with their ability. With the depth questions, Andersen\u2019s injury, and Jalon Walker being brought along slowly ahead of Week 1, Deablo is going to be expected to play nearly every down in Week 1. Hopefully he excels.<\/p>\n
Expected winner: Divine Deablo<\/p>\n
Outside linebacker: A true rotation, still<\/p>\n
Nothing has really changed here. Leonard Floyd\u2019s lack of preseason snaps tells you he\u2019s counted on as a starter, while Arnold Ebiketie has played sparingly and looked good doing so. James Pearce is soaking up a ton of snaps and Bralen Trice is back out there, and both will figure into this rotation on the back end. Jalon Walker is the wild card, and his Week 1 role likely depends on his health.<\/p>\n
I fully expect Ebiketie and Floyd to be the first guys out on the field in Week 1, with Pearce playing primarily third downs and in obvious passing situations, while Trice mirrors him and plays more on early downs. Walker\u2019s role is still an unknown because we haven\u2019t seen enough of him this preseason, but I\u2019d expect him to get plenty of time along as he\u2019s healthy.<\/p>\n
The last spot in this group could go to Khalid Kareem, who has done nothing but play well in his chances, or it could go to DeAngelo Malone, who has been cross-training at inside linebacker and is valued by this coaching staff for his special teams acumen. I\u2019d bet on Malone with Kareem hitting the practice squad at this point, especially with Kareem dealing with an injury.<\/p>\n
Defensive line rotation: Ditto<\/p>\n
You have a ton of guys to play here. Ruke Orhorhoro, David Onyemata, Zach Harrison, Brandon Dorlus, and Morgan Fox are guaranteed roles, and nobody\u2019s going to be a full-time player. Harrison and Orhorhoro will likely be as close as it gets, given that Harrison is versatile and Ruke is such a potentially fearsome run defender.<\/p>\n
The intrigue that remains is about the reserves, with Ta\u2019Quon Graham, LaCale London, Kentavius Street, Simeon Barrow, and new addition Ronnie Perkins competing for a couple of spots. If he\u2019s healthy, I like Graham as a consistent run defender and Street as a veteran the Falcons trust, but Barrow looked really good in his limited snaps and London came on against the Titans. If you wanted to bet on all four of these guys (not so much Perkins, who doesn\u2019t have much time to prove himself) sticking around between the practice squad and roster, I wouldn\u2019t blame you.<\/p>\n
Expected winner: Orhorhoro and Onyemata will start, but everyone will play<\/p>\n
Punt returner\/kick returner: Jamal Agnew, if healthy<\/p>\n
Raheem Morris referenced a setback for Agnew the other day, but he was out there practicing on Monday. Health is the major concern with Agnew and his ability to handle punt returner duties, so any lingering ailment would open the door to other options. For now, we\u2019re penciling him as the guy for Week 1.<\/p>\n
Expected winners: Jamal Agnew and Ray-Ray McCloud<\/p>\n
Third quarterback: Easton Stick<\/p>\n
Emory Jones did enough to get a little more run, and I expected he\u2019d play more snaps in the third preseason game. After suffering a concussion Friday night against the Titans and then being waived with an injury designation, though, he\u2019s out of the competition entirely.<\/p>\n
Instead, the winner is very obviously Stick, the favorite all along. While he threw an absolutely gruesome pick six and had a handful of shaky balls on Friday night, he\u2019s played pretty well on balance this summer and has the starting experience the Falcons will covet if they have to turn to him. I\u2019m not sure if he\u2019ll be on the roster or the practice squad, but Stick is QB3.<\/p>\n
Expected winner: Easton Stick<\/p>\n
Other battles to monitor and expected winners<\/p>\n
Carlos Washington\u2019s experience, familiarity with the offense, special teams value, and blocking all work in his favor, but he won\u2019t play in preseason at all. That opens the door for Nate Carter, who has been the team\u2019s best preseason runner, or Jashaun Corbin, who the team is taking a long look at for his special teams work. I\u2019d still bet on Washington with Carter or Corbin landing on the practice squad, but like safety, it\u2019s a weak sort of bet.<\/p>\n
Nominally the sixth wide receiver the Falcons are keeping, Washington is actually going to be WR2 with Darnell Mooney seemingly set to miss a little time at the beginning of the season. He\u2019s looked sure-handed and capable as advertised this summer, and has a chance to make a major case for himself as the long-term WR4 or more.<\/p>\n
Last time I typed this out, I had Teagan Quitoriano in here based on a strong summer and Adnan Ikic\u2019s equally strong feelings that he\u2019s the guy, and he made a huge play on special teams on Friday night that will help his chances. I just can\u2019t shake the feeling that Franks, who Raheem Morris called nasty the other day and who has been showing well as a blocking option and special teamer, is going to be the choice for the Falcons when the dust settles. Quitoriano has made a strong case, though, and could well land on the practice squad if he doesn\u2019t beat out Franks.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d still like Josh Simon to make it as a developmental pass catching option, but that\u2019s a practice squad dream at best.<\/p>\n
Gwyn has run as Ryan Neuzil\u2019s top backup all along, was among the better reserve linemen on Friday night (I know that\u2019s not saying a ton), and is clearly someone Dwayne Ledford likes after the team has kept him around this long. I fully expect him to win the job.<\/p>\n