FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — When the Falcons' initial 53-man roster came out at 4 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, there were only a few surprises.
- After much speculation, the Falcons did choose to carry three quarterbacks on their roster: Kirk Cousins, Michael Penix Jr. and Taylor Heinicke.
- An important cog in the special teams wheel, DeAngelo Malone, made the cut and bring the Falcons' outside linebacker group to four bodies with James Smith-Williams being listed as a defensive lineman.
- Surprise cuts include cornerback Kevin King and wide receiver Chris Blair. Both were standouts in the preseason and seemed to be important depth pieces for the Falcons. However, when the announcement came, the team revealed its decision to keep five players at those specific position groups.
- DeMarcco Hellams was officially placed on injured reserve with the ankle injury he sustained in the Falcons' first preseason game in Miami, but it's important to note that he was designated to return. This was an expected move, and leaves the door open for Hellams to come back later in the season.
Looking at the 53-man roster as it stands, though, that was kind of... it. In terms of surprises, these were the most notable. When compared to years past, the surprises of 2024 didn't feel very surprising at all. Maybe King and Blair being left off the roster would count, but again, that's it.
This speaks to a number of factors, but most notably is the fact that the roster is set up in a way that brokers no surprises any longer.
By looking at the salary cap distribution, the Falcons went from piecing a roster together with young draft picks and cost-effective free agents on short-term deals, to trading for Pro Bowlers, signing All-Pros and extended their own.
This is a far cry from where the team was financially in 2022, when the trade of quarterback Matt Ryan had the Falcons taking the largest dead money hit in the league's history (at the time) on the chin. By doing so then, it set them up for a cap resurrection now.
Going into the 2024 offseason, the Falcons found themselves with the second-most cap space in the league. With that space, they were able to make moves they simply couldn't afford previously. They signed a franchise quarterback in Kirk Cousins, built depth in the wide receiver room, brought in Pro-Bowlers in Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons and extended A.J. Terrell. These moves came after some key defensive signings last offseason in Jessie Bates III, David Onyemata and Kaden Elliss.
This is what happens when the salary cap is healthy. These are the caliber of moves one can make when there's room to do so. The Falcons' initial 53-man roster is evidence of years of work put in to take the cap out of the red.
