The Atlanta Falcons made a few eyebrow-raising moves on roster cut-down day, but none stood out quite like the decision to part with offensive tackle Wanya Morris.
That move came after Morris had barely settled in. Atlanta acquired him in June from the Kansas City Chiefs, sending a sixth-round pick and getting a seventh back along with Morris. Even with Jawaan Taylor dealing with injuries throughout camp, Morris still couldn’t stick.
CBS Sports’ Carter Bahns pointed out just how notable the cut was: "That Wanya Morris arrived in Atlanta as part of a 2027 late-round pick swap rather than as a piece in a player-for-player trade reduces some of the pain of cutting him, but this is still a player for whom the Falcons gave another team draft capital. The Falcons acquired Morris in June to add depth to a thin offensive line, so cutting him two months later is telling of how little he impressed them during his short time at the facility. The group's depth remains a problem."
The Falcons were already scrambling after the retirement of former right tackle Kaleb McGary left them in a tough spot. They tried to patch that hole aggressively, first by trading for Morris and then by signing former Chiefs tackle Jawaan Taylor.
But Taylor has had his own issues. He appears intent on keeping his status as the league’s most-penalized player, and he missed almost all of the offseason program because of an undisclosed injury issue. That opened the door for former Seahawks offensive tackle Michael Jerrell, whose emergence made Morris the odd man out.
The quarterback situation may end up drawing the most attention around this roster, but the right tackle situation is its own problem waiting to be tested. The Falcons won’t have to wait long to see where things stand, either, because Pittsburgh opens the season against them in Week 1 and brings one of the NFL’s best edge rotations.
In Other News...
Falcons May Not Be Done After Initial 53-Man Roster Decisions
The Falcons are into the next phase of roster building now that the initial 53-man group is set, but the work around the edges does not appear finished. With the NFL's deadline in the books, Atlanta is still scanning the league for possible help, and the list of available options includes a few recent cuts who could fit spots on the active roster or the practice squad.
Evan Neal, Jaydon Blue, Tyrel Dodson and Jack Pyburn are among the players being discussed as possible targets, with each bringing a different type of value depending on what Atlanta wants to address. None of it is guaranteed, of course, but the fact that the Falcons are already being linked to fresh additions suggests the final roster picture could still change before long. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons 53-Man Roster Leaves Several Spots Feeling Far From Settled
The Falcons have their initial 53-man roster in place after the NFL cutdown deadline, but it does not read like a finished product. Atlanta kept four quarterbacks, two running backs, five wide receivers, three tight ends, nine offensive linemen, nine defensive linemen and five linebackers, a mix that gives the team plenty of flexibility while also leaving a few corners of the roster feeling thin. The trade for Gervon Dexter was one of the more notable moves in getting to this point, and it came alongside the release of several fan favorites.
Even with the deadline passed, the roster looks more like a first draft than a final answer. There are still spots that invite questions, especially when a team carries that kind of volume at some positions and a little less certainty at others. Atlanta has made its opening statement on what it wants this group to be, but the way the final few jobs settled suggests the Falcons may not be done sorting out the edges of the roster just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Just Made A Telling Move Up Front Before Cuts
The Falcons kept reshaping their front line ahead of the NFLs 53-man roster deadline, making a move that says plenty about where they still see a need. Atlanta sent cornerback Clark Phillips III and a fifth-round pick to the Bears for defensive tackle Gervon Dexter, a deal that brings in a bigger body at a position the team has been trying to stabilize.
Dexter arrives in the final year of his contract and is expected to step in as the Falcons starting nose tackle, giving them another option in the middle as cutdown day approaches. For a roster still being sorted out, the trade is less about long-term patience and more about shoring up defensive tackle depth right now, which is usually the kind of move teams make when they think the problem is immediate. [Read more 🡒]