The Falcons’ signing of Za’Darius Smith gave Atlanta the pass-rush help it badly needed, but it also tightened the screws on a few roster hopefuls. With summer competition in full swing and the team shuffling pieces around, a handful of players now look like they’re fighting uphill for a spot.
One of the clearest cases is cornerback Cobee Bryant. The second-year defender has had a brutal summer, and his preseason opener against the Denver Broncos only made the picture worse.
Among the 34 defensive players who saw action last Friday night, the highly touted UDFA finished last in PFF grade. He posted a 29.2 PFF grade and a 30.1 coverage grade, while being flagged for three penalties and giving up three catches for 35 yards on 40 snaps.
Bryant was already trailing C.J. Henderson and Clark Phillips III in the roster race, and now he could be slipping behind Malcolm DeWalt IV too.
Cash Jones is another player whose role has become murky. The Georgia product was supposed to be a summer weapon for Atlanta, but his usage has bounced all over the place.
He started out as a running back, got moved to slot receiver, and then shifted back to running back. That kind of back-and-forth has left him behind Nate Carter and Tyler Goodson on the depth chart, and he barely got on the field against Denver.
Jones played just seven snaps, finished with three carries for eight yards, and did not catch his only target.
Quarterback Cooper Rush also finds himself in a tough spot after a rough showing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The biggest problem in the game was the quarterback play, and Rush was right at the center of it.
He went 7 of 19 for 62 yards with two interceptions. His 36.8% completion rate and 6.8 passer rating told the story, and the performance was so shaky that UDFA Jack Strand looked far more comfortable by comparison.
With Smith now in the fold, Atlanta has added a major piece - and the pressure on the roster bubble has only intensified.
In Other News...
Falcons Fans Just Got Another Reason To Revisit The Darnell Mooney Move
The Falcons moved on from Darnell Mooney earlier this offseason, then pivoted by bringing in Jahan Dotson to fill the WR2 spot, a swap that made Atlantas receiver reshuffle one of the more notable roster decisions of the summer. Mooney, meanwhile, landed a one-year deal with the New York Giants, a fresh start that was supposed to give him a chance to re-establish his value in a new offense.
Instead, his standing in New York has already become part of the conversation, with Mooney sitting behind other receivers on the depth chart and the Giants reportedly weighing trade options. For Falcons fans, it is another little reminder that the teams choice to move on was not just about making room for Dotson, but about betting the receiving room could look different very quickly if the market and the roster both keep shifting. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Penix Jrs Recovery Just Raised The Stakes In Atlantas QB Race
Michael Penix Jr. is moving through the next phase of his recovery from a knee injury, and the timing matters more now because Atlanta still has not settled its quarterback decision for the season. He has been working in 7-on-7 drills, but full participation is still waiting on a doctors clearance, leaving the Falcons in a holding pattern as they sort through the competition under center.
Tua Tagovailoa is currently leading the race, but Penix remains very much in the mix if he gets the green light soon enough to get back into 11-on-11 work. For Atlanta, the appeal is obvious: the longer Penix stays in position to push, the more pressure there is on the staff to weigh not just health, but timing, readiness and how much practice time he can still bank before the season arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Former Falcons Star Kroy Biermann Faces A Painful Family Spotlight
A troubling family development has pushed former Falcons linebacker Kroy Biermann back into the spotlight, this time for reasons far removed from football. His son, Kroy Biermann Jr., was arrested and is being held without bond after facing aggravated sodomy and aggravated sexual battery charges, according to the available facts. The alleged incident is said to have taken place on April 23, 2026, in a Lifetime Fitness changing room, adding another difficult chapter for a family that has long lived in public view.
Biermann Jr. was arraigned on Aug. 17, 2026, with attorney Jason Sheffield listed as his representative. For Falcons fans who remember Kroy Biermann as a steady defensive presence during his Atlanta years, the case is a stark and painful reminder of how quickly an athletes post-career life can be overshadowed by personal turmoil around him. [Read more 🡒]