The Atlanta Falcons have announced their practice squad elevations for Sunday's season-opening matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tight end Nick Muse and defensive end Bralen Trice will join the 53-man roster in Week 1, the team revealed on Saturday.
In other Falcons news, the team announced that third-string quarterback Cooper Rush is dealing with back spasms but will still start against the Steelers. So, why did Atlanta choose to reveal this on Saturday afternoon?
Your guess is as good as mine, but perhaps they are laying the groundwork to start undrafted quarterback Jack Strand in Week 1. Strand played well in the preseason, and considering Rush isn't 100 percent, we would not rule out seeing the rookie on Sunday.
Muse, a seventh-round
pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, spent three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and appeared in 16 total games. However, the 27-year-old has just one career catch for 22 yards.
Trice was selected by Atlanta in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The former Washington standout suffered back-to-back season-ending injuries and has yet to make his NFL debut.
The team's inactives list will be released at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, so be sure to check back then for an update on Atlanta's opening day starter. Check out the team's updated 53-man roster and practice squad below.
Quarterbacks (4)
- Michael Penix Jr. (9)
- Tua Tagovailoa (1)
- Cooper Rush (13)
- 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 (3)
- Kyle Pitts (8)
- Austin Hooper (81)
- Charlie Woerner (89)
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 (8)
- Gervon Dexter (95)
- Brandon Dorlus (54)
- Maason Smith(92)
- Samson Ebukam (52)
- Da'Shawn Hand (90)
- LaCale London (94)
- Za'Darius Smith (55)
- Cameron Thomas (99)
Linebackers (7)
- Divine Deablo (0)
- Kendal Daniels (53)
- Harold Perkins Jr. (56)
- Christian Harris (45)
- LB Josh Woods (42)
- LB Yasir Abdullah (22)
- LB Jared Ivey (51)
Defensive Backs (11)
- A.J. Terrell (24)
- 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)
Special Teams (3)
- LS: Liam McCullough (49)
- K: Nick Folk (6)
- P: Jake Bailey (16)
Reserve Lists
- EDGE James Pearce Jr. (suspended)
- WR Beaux Collins (Reserve/Injured) DTR
- 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)
Falcons practice squad
- WR Vinny Anthony (86)
- DE Bralen Trice (48) Week 1 PS Elevation
- OL Kam Dewberry (61)
- WR Dylan Drummond (80)
- RB Tyler Goodson (25)
- DB Darnay Holmes (30)
- OT Riley Mahlman (76)
- OL James Brockermeyer (66)
- TE Nick Muse (87) Week 1 PS Elevation
- RB Cash Jones (32)
- TE Jack Velling (84)
- WR Antwane Wells (82)
- OL Josh Thompson (67)
- DL Zach Harrison (96)
- DB Jammie Robinson (34)
- DL Zacch Pickens (93)
Sunday's game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET inside Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons reveal Cooper Rush injury, Week 1 practice squad elevations
