While we twiddle our thumbs, tap our feet impatiently, and sigh deeply during the long wait for training camp, we can still talk
about training camp. And we will.Let’s start by talking about some of the true roster battles for the 2026 Falcons, rather than those guys duking it out for a starting job. I’m focused on the spots down the depth chart that could be become vital in a pinch and have plenty of players competing for them, from swing tackle to fifth wide receiver and a few in between.
We’ll
get into the battles for starting jobs in more detail a little later this summer.
QB3
Is Jack Strand vs. Trevor Siemian an actual battle? Siemian has gone from occasional starter to third quarterback type over the years, with a fairly successful run in 2021 with the hated Saints giving way to uninspiring stints with the Bears and Jets. He last appeared in an NFL regular season game in 2023, and is entering his age 35 season. For all that, he has 33 career starts, 40 games of experience, and 44 touchdowns against 32 interceptions, and his tenure and experience commanding an NFL offense will likely make him the favorite for third quarterback duties given that Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. both have injury concerns.
Strand is probably a practice squad stash, but he does have the live arm and intrigue to make it interesting if he has a strong summer. He was an uber-productive Division II quarterback who has thrown the ball well at camp, and his age and affordability make him a fun developmental option for QB3 and (maybe eventually) QB2 down the line. With a strong enough summer, he could knock Siemian out, given that the Falcons will only owe $1.3 million to the veteran.
RB3
With Carlos Washington cut, you’re looking at Nate Carter, Tyler Goodson, and rookie Cash Jones for this spot.
Carter has the advantage of a year in Atlanta, pretty impressive speed, and some experience on special teams. He had nine carries for 60 yards, highlighted by a 12 yard run, in garbage time in 2025. If the Falcons are looking for long speed and good burst in their third spot, Carter can carve it out, providing he shows well as a pass catcher and blocker over the summer.
Goodson is easily the most experienced candidate for this job, and that and his versatility might make him the favorite. He was a decent runner—albeit on the smaller side—in Indianapolis, and supplemented that with quality kick return skills and good enough hands to be used as a weapon out of the backfield at times. Over the past two seasons, he logged heavy usage on Indy’s special teams and has appeared in 33 games, and the ability to do a little bit of everything is an important ability down the depth chart.
Jones is a rookie out of Georgia who seems to be more likely to carve out a long-term role at receiver, where the team is putting him through the paces early on. But Jones has experience as a runner from college and is an elusive player who can be very dangerous with the ball in his hands, and serving as a sort of RB3/WR6 or WR7 hybrid would give him additional appeal for Atlanta. His pass catching ability, shiftiness, and potential versatility should at least keep him in this competition.
WR5
You have Drake London, Jahan Dotson, Zachariah Branch, and Olamide Zaccheaus set to take the top four spots on the depth chart. Beyond that, very little is certain.
Familiar faces like Chris Blair and Dylan Drummond, both annual summer standouts, are certainly in the mix. Undrafted free agents Keelan Marion, Vinny Anthony, and Le’Meke Brockington have a shot to impress. Recent UFL signing Antwane “Juice” Wells is a new addition to the group, as well, one who adds physicality and ruggedness to a team that could use more of both, especially with Dotson, Branch, and OZ all running on the smaller side.
But with a new coaching staff, it’s hard to name a favorite here. Blair is a player I think deserves more of a real shot to prove himself—mostly because he’s looked really strong in camp and preseason—and Drummond is at least a solid route runner and blocker who made a little noise last year. Marion was a rock solid college receiver and sometimes electric returner, and the Falcons haven’t established who will be handling returns just yet. Brockington is also a quality returner who boasts superior strength for a wide receiver and is coming off a tremendous final season at Minnesota, while Anthony also can make it work as a returner and has intriguing speed.
This is one of those roster spots where summer standouts will cement roster spots, or the whole group will underwhelm enough that the Falcons go shopping. The number of options and wide open nature of the competition will make it well worth watching.
C2
There’s some real intrigue here. The team will likely keep two or three reserves on the interior of the offensive line on the active roster, but how they construct that group may well depend on whether Corey Levin or rookie James Brockermeyer win the right to back up starting center Ryan Neuzil.
Levin has played 88 games in the NFL and made seven starts, grading out reasonably well when pressed into action, and overlapped with new offensive line coach Bill Callahan during their shared time in Tennessee. He’s also played under 200 regular season snaps on the offensive line in the NFL, primarily at center and right guard, and is thus not a player with a track record that has him locked into the backup role.
His competition is a decorated college center who figures to stay parked there in the NFL. Brockermeyer is a technician with extremely advanced hand usage and good balance, which helps make up for the fact that he’s a bit undersized. He could have a similar career path as Neuzil, but Neuzil is slightly bigger (they’re listed about eight pounds apart) and came into the league needing to make the transition over to center over time. Brockermeyer certainly has the ability to grab the backup role right now, but may need an impressive summer to push Levin hard, given the latter’s experience and comfort level playing on a Callahan line.
If Levin wins the job and Brockermeyer is headed for the practice squad, the Falcons will likely keep two guards, with Kyle Hinton, Layden Robinson, and Andrew Stueber likely battling for those roles. If Brockermeyer wins the backup job, though, I’d still expect Levin to hang around as the fourth guard and third center, tightening the guard battle considerably. Hinton should, however, earn a role either way given his ability and experience.
Swing tackle
Wanya Morris moved to the pole position when the Falcons traded for him, but Mike Jerrell and Jack Nelson are still very much kicking around and looking to compete for the job.
Morris has gotten better as a run blocking tackle every year in the league, but has not made strides in pass protection and has in fact arguably regressed. The latter limitation is why the Chiefs were willing to give up on him now, but Morris has experience at both tackle spots, fits the run-blocking ethos Atlanta has coveted, and definitely has the ability and youth to think he can be a high-end reserve over time.
Jerrell has struggled when he’s played and Nelson has very little experience to this point, but both players have athleticism and length that make them worth the development time the Falcons have been pouring into them. Perhaps Callahan can unlock something from one, two, or all three of these players, but I’d bet on Morris sticking as the swing tackle and Nelson continuing his work on the practice squad, with Jerrell possibly joining him.
What other battles do you have your eyes on?
