The Atlanta Falcons are releasing veteran quarterback Cooper Rush and signing Andy Dalton in a corresponding move, according to NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter. It's a somewhat confusing move for an Falcons team that already had four quarterbacks on the roster.
Rush, who started the first two games of the season, had been serving as the emergency third quarterback since Michael Penix Jr.'s return to the lineup in Week 3. In his two starts, Rush passed for 229 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions.
Dalton, a three-time Pro Bowler who began his career with the Cincinnati Bengals, has passed for 39,793 yards, 254 touchdowns and 152 interceptions over 16 NFL seasons. The 39-year-old was traded from the Carolina Panthers to the Philadelphia
Eagles before the season began, and he was released by the Eagles last week.
The Falcons still have undrafted free agent Jack Strand on the roster, who will likely continue serving as the team's fourth-string/developmental quarterback despite the addition of Dalton.
Check out the Falcons' updated 53-man roster and practice squad going into NFL Week 7 below.
Quarterbacks (4)
- Michael Penix Jr. (9)
- Tua Tagovailoa (1)
- Andy Dalton (Reported)
- Jack Strand (18)
Running Backs (2)
- Bijan Robinson (7)
- Brian Robinson Jr. (15)
Wide Receivers (5)
- Drake London (5)
- Jahan Dotson (4)
- Olamide Zaccheaus (14)
- Zachariah Branch (17)
- Chris Blair (19)
Tight Ends (4)
- Kyle Pitts (8)
- Austin Hooper (81)
- Charlie Woerner (89)
- Nick Muse (87)
Offensive Linemen (9)
- Jake Matthews (70)
- Matthew Bergeron (65)
- Ryan Neuzil (64)
- Chris Lindstrom (63)
- Jawaan Taylor (71)
- Michael Jerrell (72)
- Ethan Onianwa (75)
- Kyle Hinton (68)
- Corey Levin (62)
Defensive Linemen (9)
- Gervon Dexter (95)
- Brandon Dorlus (54)
- Maason Smith(92)
- Samson Ebukam (52)
- LaCale London (94)
- Za'Darius Smith (55)
- Cameron Thomas (99)
- Zach Harrison (96)
- Bralen Trice (48)
Linebackers (6)
- Divine Deablo (0)
- Kendal Daniels (53)
- Harold Perkins Jr. (56)
- Christian Harris (45)
- Josh Woods (42)
- Jared Ivey (51)
Defensive Backs (11)
- Avieon Terrell (12)
- Mike Hughes (21)
- Billy Bowman Jr. (33)
- C.J. Henderson (26)
- Mike Ford Jr. (28)
- Malcolm DeWalt (36)
- Jessie Bates III (3)
- Xavier Watts (31)
- DeMarcco Hellams (23)
- Sydney Brown (29)
- Robert Longerbeam (37)
Special Teams (3)
- LS: Liam McCullough (49)
- K: Nick Folk (6)
- P: Jake Bailey (16)
Falcons practice squad
- WR Vinny Anthony (86)
- OL Kam Dewberry (61)
- WR Dylan Drummond (80)
- DB Darnay Holmes (30)
- OT Riley Mahlman (76)
- TE Jack Velling (84)
- WR Antwane Wells (82)
- OL Josh Thompson (67)
- DL Zacch Pickens (93)
- DE Drake Jackson (91) ELEVATED WEEK 6
- RB Khalil Herbert (25)
- OL Colby Sorsdal (74)
- LB Brian Asamoah (41)
- RB Jam Miller (38)
- S Jammie Robinson (TBD) ELEVATED WEEK 6
Reserve Lists
- Da'Shawn Hand (Reserve/Injured)
- LB Yasir Abdullah (Reserve/Injured)
- CB A.J. Terrell (Reserve/Injured)
- EDGE James Pearce Jr. (suspended)
- WR Beaux Collins (Reserve/Injured)
- OT Storm Norton (Reserve/PUP)
- LB DeAngelo Malone (Reserve/PUP)
- DE Keshawn Banks (Reserve/Injured)
- LB JD Bertrand (Reserve/Injured)
- LB Jalon Walker (Reserve/Injured)
- RB Trey Sermon (Reserve/Injured)
- DT Anterio Thompson (Reserve/NFI)
- OT Cameron Williams (Reserve/Injured)
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons sign veteran QB, release Cooper Rush from 53-man roster
