The Atlanta Falcons have assembled their first 53-man roster under head coach Kevin Stefanski, but not without a few surprises. The team kept two undrafted free agents and loaded up on defense while keeping just 23 offensive players. The Falcons retained 13 defensive backs and just seven combined running backs and wide receivers.
Here are our five biggest surprises from the team's first 53-man roster of 2026.
Cooper Rush AND Jack Strand make team
Falcons fans got what they wanted - kind of. The team kept undrafted rookie Jack Strand but also retained four total quarterbacks, including veteran Cooper Rush. Atlanta keeping Rush and Strand was an interesting decision, and likely cost another good player their roster spot. Rush was abysmal in the preseason opener but bounced back with
two solid performances to close things out. Strand showed a ton of upside against the Colts, and likely wouldn't have cleared waivers. So, the Falcons will go into the year with four quarterbacks, barring any trades or surprise cuts.
Falcons cut Tyler Goodson, keep 2 RBs
The Falcons kept just two running backs, which meant Tyler Goodson is out of a job. Obviously, Atlanta has arguably the NFL's top running back in Bijan Robinson, but Goodson was playing well and provided special teams value on top of being a versatile third-down back. In the Falcons' 34-6 blowout over the Indianapolis Colts, Goodson had a 49-yard touchdown run against his former team. Brian Robinson Jr. hasn't been overly impressive in the preseason, making Goodson's release even more puzzling.
UDFA cornerback Malcolm DeWalt makes roster
The Falcons kept 13 defensive backs, which was one of the bigger surprises from their opening roster. DeWalt was one of four undrafted free agents we thought could make the roster entering the final preseason game and apparently the coaching staff saw enough to give the rookie a roster spot. Cornerback is one of the toughest positions in all of sports, so it's extremely impressive for DeWalt to make the team as a UDFA out of Akron. The rookie beat out second-year cornerback Cobee Bryant, however, the Falcons are expected to sign Bryant to the practice squad if he clears waivers.
DT Carlos Allen, Vinny Anthony waived after impressive camp
Allen wasn't a roster lock by any means, however, I believe he would have made the team if Atlanta hadn't acquired defensive tackle Gervon Dexter in a trade with the Chicago Bears on Sunday morning. The undrafted free agent played well in training camp and the preseason, and we expect him to be back on the practice squad if he clears waivers. The same can be said of Anthony, who impressed with his return ability in the preseason. He's also expected to be back on the practice squad.
2 surprising veterans cut ahead of deadline
Right tackle Wanya Morris and edge Azeez Ojulari were both released on Sunday, which was somewhat surprising. Morris was acquired by the Falcons via trade with the Kansas City Chiefs back in June. Since Jawaan Taylor's injury kept him out for part of camp, Morris appeared to be safe as a veteran depth piece with starting experience. Ojulari, the former Georgia standout, was cut despite the team losing both Jalon Walker and James Pearce to start the season. Atlanta also waived Bralen Trice, the former third-round pick, after two injury riddled seasons.
Check back for Falcons practice squad updates this afternoon!
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: 5 biggest surprises from Falcons' initial 53-man roster
