TAMPA, Fla. -- The Falcons continue to rotate the players they'll have available at defensive line. For the last two weeks, DL Ta'Quon Graham was inactive. He is active and available for the Falcons' NFC South clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday.
Inactive for the Falcons at defensive line: Eli Ankou, Albert Huggins and Joe Gaziano.
Defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen spoke in his press conference this week about the approach the Falcons take when making their personnel decisions at defensive line. Essentially, Nielsen explained, there is always a group of players fighting for a spot on the active game-day roster week in and week out. That, and there is a lot that goes into those decisions.
"You just feel like, 'Alright, this guy is ready to go,' or, 'Maybe this guy is ready to go the other week,'" Nielsen said Thursday. "We'll always evaluate every rep, how they're doing in the walkthroughs. Are they doing the right things? Everything is evaluated. It's not just five reps and this guy is going to play. It's a whole body of work through the week. Then, also too, part of that is the matchup. Who do we like up this week? Who do like up this week? That plays into whoever is up at those positions."
For the third week in a row, Atlanta did not deal out game designations in its Friday injury report. So, they enter into Sunday's matchup in Tampa with a relatively clean bill of health.
In other inactives news, Logan Woodside is the Falcons emergency third quarterback. As a reminder: Woodside will dress but cannot enter the game unless both Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke are ineligible to take the field. If either quarterback is cleared to return to the field of play, Woodside would have to immediately come out of the game.
Here is the full list of Falcons inactives for Week 7:
QB Logan Woodside (emergency third QB)
CB Clark Phillips
OL Jovaughn Gwyn
DL Eli Ankou
TE John FitzPatrick
DL Albert Huggins
DL Joe Gaziano
The Falcons take flight to Nashville to face the Titans in week eight of the 2023 regular season. #RiseUp
Atlanta Falcons fullback Keith Smith #40 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons tight end MyCole Pruitt #85 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo #6 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons safety Micah Abernathy #29 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons cornerback Mike Hughes #21 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons long snapper Liam McCullough #49 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson #84 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge #12 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman Zach Harrison #96 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Mack Hollins #18 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Bud Dupree #48 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder #9 and wide receiver Drake London #5 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons cornerback Jeff Okudah #1 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell #24 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons safety Richie Grant #27 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Van Jefferson #15 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons fullback Keith Smith #40 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson #7 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford #20 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons safety Micah Abernathy #29 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier #25 boards the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Atlanta Falcons)
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