The Falcons moved quickly once waivers opened, and they did not waste their 13th priority. Atlanta claimed three players on Monday: Seattle EDGE Jared Ivey, Philadelphia OT Cameron Williams and Jacksonville LB Yasir Abdullah.
Those additions won’t just add names to the roster. They force more movement behind them, with three players needing to be cut loose in response. How Kevin Stefanski and Ian Cunningham sort through the rest of the roster remains to be seen amid the shuffle.
Of the three claims, Cameron Williams stands out as the one with the cleanest path to helping right away. Atlanta’s front office has obvious ties to the Eagles, and Williams fits the kind of developmental swing they were willing to take. Philadelphia drafted him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but he was buried in a crowded offensive line room and never saw much playing time.
The talent was there all along. Williams was one of the better tackles in the nation for Texas in 2024, and many evaluators viewed him as better than where he landed in the draft.
He also has a familiar connection in the building as a former teammate of Bijan Robinson’s. At 6-foot-5 and 317 pounds, he brings size and pass protection ability, and his preseason work drew notice.
He could settle in as the backup right tackle, which would create a path for seventh-round rookie Ethan Onianwa to be waived and possibly land on the practice squad.
Yasir Abdullah gives Atlanta another linebacker with the kind of athletic profile Jeff Ulbrich seems to want. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, Abdullah ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash and has appeared in 29 games. Most of that experience has come on special teams, which is exactly where he’d likely fit as the presumed LB5.
The 2023 fifth-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars is also coming in to challenge for JD Bertrand’s job, and the move may be the final blow for the third-year linebacker. Ulbrich has been searching for a more athletic option, and Abdullah looks like another shot at that upgrade.
Jared Ivey may be the most intriguing of the three. A Georgia native and 2025 UDFA out of Seattle, he was stuck behind an elite Seahawks defensive line, but the traits are hard to miss. At 6-foot-6 and 274 pounds, he has flashed real upside, including a rep against All-Pro guard Trey Smith that stands out.
Atlanta is thin at edge rusher, with only three players at the position on the roster, so Ivey may not have to wait long for a meaningful opportunity. If Nate Ollie can help develop him, the former North Gwinnett standout could end up looking like a strong get before long.
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 🡒]