MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The Falcons released their first depth chart of the 2024 preseason before their Friday matchup with the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. As always, depth charts are not the be-all and end-all. They should not be taken as Gospel, more like a helpful guide.
Regardless, there are some interesting pieces of information to be gleaned from the very first one.
Most notably, perhaps, is the Falcons listed Troy Andersen as a starting inside linebacker along with Kaden Elliss. It should be noted that to this point in training camp, both Andersen and Nate Landman have received strikingly similar first-team reps. They've also seen a good portion of reps alongside each other. Head coach Raheem Morris has said time and time again that having three starting caliber inside linebackers is a good problem to have. And it has shown up every day of camp to this point.
As expected, Richie Grant has the edge over DeMarcco Hellams alongside Jessie Bates III at safety, while Mike Hughes gets the nod at corner opposite A.J. Terrell. It would seem the most significant camp battles at starting safety and corner are not as significant as maybe once thought.
Here's a look at the entire depth chart before the Falcons' first preseason game.
OFFENSE
| Position | Starter | Backup | Reserve | Reserve | Reserve | Reserve | Reserve | Reserve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | Drake London | Chris Blair | Austin Mack | James Washington | ||||
| TE | Kyle Pitts | John FitzPatrick | Jordan Thomas | |||||
| LT | Jake Matthews | Barry Wesley | Julién Davenport | Jaryd Jones-Smith | ||||
| LG | Matthew Bergeron | Jovaughn Gwyn | ||||||
| C | Drew Dalman | Ryan Neuzil | ||||||
| RG | Chris Lindstrom | Kyle Hinton | John Leglue | |||||
| RT | Kaleb McGary | Storm Norton | Andrew Stueber | Zack Bailey | ||||
| TE | Charlie Woerner | Ross Dwelley | Austin Stogner | |||||
| WR | Darnell Mooney | Rondale Moore | Casey Washington | Josh Ali | OJ Hiliare | |||
| WR | Ray-Ray McCloud III | KhaDarel Hodge | Dylan Drummond | Jesse Matthews | ||||
| RB | Bijan Robinson | Tyler Allgeier | Avery Williams | Jase McClellan | Carlos Washington Jr. | |||
| QB | Kirk Cousins | Michael Penix Jr. | Taylor Heinicke | Nathan Rourke |
DEFENSE
| Position | Starter | Backup | Reserve | Reserve | Reserve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL | Grady Jarrett | Kentavius Street | Eddie Goldman | Tommy Togiai | |
| DL | David Onyemata | Ruke Orhorhoro | Zion Logue | Prince Emili | |
| DL | Zach Harrison | Ta'Quon Graham | Brandon Dorlus | LaCale London | |
| OLB | Lorenzo Carter | James Smith-Williams | Bradlee Anae | DeAngelo Malone | |
| ILB | Kaden Elliss | JD Bertrand | Milo Eifler | ||
| ILB | Troy Andersen | Nate Landman | Donavan Mutin | ||
| OLB | Arnold Ebiketie | Bralen Trice | Demone Harris | Kenny Oginni | |
| CB | A.J. Terrell | Kevin King | Anthony Johnson | Natrone Brooks | |
| S | Jessie Bates III | Micah Abernathy | Dane Cruikshank | Tre Tarpley III | |
| S | Richie Grant | DeMarcco Hellams | Lukas Denis | ||
| NB | Dee Alford | Antonio Hamilton Sr. | Jayden Price | ||
| CB | Mike Hughes | Clark Phillips III | Harrison Hand | Trey Vaval |
SPECIAL TEAMS
| Position | Starter | Backup | Backup |
|---|---|---|---|
| K | Younghoe Koo | ||
| P | Bradley Pinion | ||
| LS | Liam McCullough | ||
| H | Bradley Pinion | ||
| PR | Ray-Ray McCloud III | Mike Hughes | |
| KOR | Avery Williams | Rondale Moore |
