The Falcons’ tight end room is crowded, and that makes Joshua Simon’s summer feel a lot shorter than everyone else’s.
Atlanta has already locked in Kyle Pitts, added Austin Hooper in free agency and kept Charlie Woerner in place, leaving Simon and 2026 UDFA Jack Velling to fight for whatever room is left. Unless Kevin Stefanski decides to carry four tight ends, somebody is going to get squeezed out.
Simon is trying to make sure it isn’t him.
The 2025 UDFA was among Atlanta’s preseason cuts last summer, but he got another chance when the Falcons brought him back on a reserve/futures deal in January. Since then, he’s been working to show he can bring something useful to a position group that already has its top names set.
He did flash a little during OTAs, which is a start. But camp is where that has to turn into something more concrete, especially with Woerner still on the roster and no sign the Falcons are looking to clear space by moving on from him.
At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Simon fits the profile of a receiving tight end. His final season at South Carolina produced 40 catches for 519 yards and seven touchdowns, and over six college seasons he finished with 25 touchdown grabs. That kind of production points to a player who can be useful near the goal line, particularly in 12-personnel looks.
Pitts and Hooper are set. The real question is whether Simon can do enough in training camp to convince this new coaching staff that he belongs on the roster over Velling. The window is open, but not for long.
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