The Falcons’ backfield keeps getting tweaked, even as the ground game keeps rolling.
Atlanta enters the week with the No. 2 rushing offense in the league, and that production has come from Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr. Still, the team has continued searching for ways to adjust the running back room through the first four games of the season.
On Monday, the Falcons waived undrafted rookie Cash Jones and brought in Jam Miller as his replacement.
Miller was a seventh-round pick by the New England Patriots in April’s NFL Draft. He carried 25 times for 92 yards during the preseason with New England, but he did not make the Patriots’ 53-man roster.
Before that, Miller was a steady piece of the Alabama Crimson Tide for four seasons. His top year came in 2024, when he ran for 668 yards and seven touchdowns while also catching 16 passes for 155 yards and a score.
Jones’ path in Atlanta had plenty of attention from the start. Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia in the spring, he worked at running back, wide receiver and on special teams. He also flashed in the preseason against the Indianapolis Colts, posting seven carries for 41 yards and adding four receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown.
That versatility made him a legitimate candidate for the 53-man roster, but Atlanta went in a different direction and kept only two running backs initially. Jones and Tyler Goodson were released, then both returned on the practice squad before Goodson was claimed by the Cowboys and added to their roster.
Jones could still circle back to Atlanta, with a return to the practice squad a real possibility. For now, though, the Falcons are carrying three running backs on the roster.
The timing adds a little twist for two former SEC backs. On Saturday night, the No.
2 Georgia Bulldogs head to Tuscaloosa to face the No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Falcons, meanwhile, are set for Sunday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens. It will be their third straight nationally televised game, and they’re looking to make it three straight wins.
In Other News...
Patriots Have A Gabe Jacas Opportunity They Can't Ignore
The Patriots pass rush has been thin enough to make every possible reinforcement worth a look, especially with losses and injuries already testing the depth chart. In that kind of spot, the idea of adding a veteran edge rusher like Khalil Mack from the Chargers carries obvious appeal for New England, not just for what he could still bring on the field, but for the kind of experience he could pass along in the room.
Gabe Jacas is part of why this conversation matters in the first place. The Patriots appear to have a young player whose game shares some traits with Macks, and pairing him with a proven pro could accelerate that development in a hurry. Whether New England decides the price is worth it remains the real question, but the fit is easy to see, and the need is hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots May Be Eyeing A Veteran Fix For Their Run Game
The Patriots are still looking for help in the backfield, and that search brought veteran free-agent running back Jamaal Williams to Foxborough for a workout. New England evaluated Williams along with other free agents as it continues to sort through possible depth options for an offense that could use more stability behind its top runners.
Williams brings eight NFL seasons of experience and a resume that includes a strong 2022 campaign with the Detroit Lions, which makes him the kind of established option teams often check on when they want insurance at running back. The Patriots have not signed him yet, but they have kept roster spots open for exactly this kind of addition, leaving the door open as they weigh whether a veteran presence fits their plans. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Are Getting Early Proof They Made The Right WR Call
The Patriots spent the offseason reshaping their wide receiver room, bringing in A.J. Brown in a trade and signing Romeo Doubs while moving on from Stefon Diggs and dealing Kayshon Boutte. It was the kind of aggressive reset that can look smart on paper and awkward on the field early, especially after Brown landed on injured reserve and Doubs had a rough start before finding his footing over the last few games.
Romeo Doubs recent improvement has given New England at least a little early validation for how it handled the position, even if the full picture is still developing. Across the league, former Patriots target Michael Pittman Jr. has not exactly stormed out of the gate after being traded to the Steelers, with his production lagging behind the expectations that came with his extension, and that contrast only sharpens how much these receiver decisions matter for a team trying to get the room right. [Read more 🡒]