Snap counts, anybody?

Friday evening’s sport in opposition to the Bengals gave us some clear pattern strains for enjoying time and pecking order for this Falcons staff, with the fourth working again slot, reserve roles on the again finish of the protection, and extra seemingly near settled. The image stays muddier alongside each strains and at extensive receiver, however there’s one sport only a few days away to lastly settle issues for Atlanta.

Let’s get into these counts.

Offense

Tyler Vrabel: 41 (59%)

Taylor Heinicke: 41

Ryan Neuzil: 41

Kyle Hinton: 35

Parker Hesse: 32

Jonotthan Harrison: 29

Godwin Igwebuike: 28

John FitzPatrick: 27

Jalen Mayfield: 27

Josh Miles: 25

Carlos Washington: 24

Keilhan Harris: 23

Matthew Bergeron: 23

J.J. Arcega-Whiteside: 22

Xavier Malone: 22

Josh Ali: 20

Penny Hart: 19

Scotty Miller: 19

Jovaughn Gwyn: 17

Justin Shaffer: 17

Kaleb McGary: 17

Jake Matthews: 17

Drew Dalman: 17

Desmond Ridder: 17

Chris Lindstrom: 17

Mack Hollins: 14

Bijan Robinson: 12

Drake London: 12

Barry Wesley: 11

Logan Woodside: 11

Michal Menet: 11

Mathew Sexton: 10

MyCole Pruitt: 9

Kyle Pitts: 9

KhaDarel Hodge: 8

Tucker Fisk: 8

Slade Bolden: 7

Jonnu Smith: 7

Clint Ratkovich: 5

Tyler Allgeier: 5

Keith Smith: 3

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It’s useful to look at this whereas Aaron Freeman’s “precise” depth chart, which exhibits when gamers really acquired into the sport on Friday evening. Doing so paints an image of who the Falcons most wish to take a look at.

At working again, Washington remains to be working behind Igwebuike, and Friday evening it was once more straightforward to see why. Washington was a participant I used to be eager to see and he once more ran the ball properly, with 15 yards on 5 carries and a landing, whereas including one other 23 yards on three receptions as an outlet possibility. Igwebuike wasn’t an element within the passing sport for the second straight week, however did look dynamic as a runner as soon as extra, carrying the ball 14 instances for 61 yards and returning a pair of kicks for a mean of twenty-two yards a pop. There needs to be room for each backs, with one probably hitting the observe squad, but when Patterson stays unsure for Week 1 there’s no approach the Falcons are letting Igwebuike go after he’s seemed so good in prolonged motion in preseason.

At receiver, issues are nonetheless muddled, however sadly damage may be a clarifier. We’re ready to see what occurs with KhaDarel Hodge and Penny Hart, who had been each injured in opposition to the Bengals. If Hodge misses any size of time, it opens up a spot owing to his standing as a digital roster lock. Hart, in the meantime, might lose floor. I assumed Josh Ali seemed good because the staff’s main receiver with three grabs for 39 yards as a dependable possibility over the center, whereas Arcega-Whiteside made one of many grabs of the night down the sideline on a deep ball from Taylor Heinicke. Add in Malone, who had a pair of good catches and practically got here down with a landing from Heinicke, and take a look at when the trio entered the ballgame and it seems to be a 4 man race between that trio and Hart for one or two spots. We’ll want an damage replace to determine the place that race stands as we speak, however the last preseason sport will assist resolve it. I nonetheless lean towards Malone, with Ali being the selection if there’s room for 2.

Alongside the road, the intrigue now facilities on who makes it as a reserve past Neuzil, who performed a ton and turned in sterling work as a run blocker, even when he was one of many many Falcons with struggles in cross safety Friday evening. Jalen Mayfield’s case for swing deal with may have taken a success if the staff isn’t already locked onto him as a selection, as he was brutally unhealthy in cross safety but once more at left deal with, incomes a comically poor 4.4 grade from Professional Soccer Focus (which you’ll take with the requisite grain of salt if you want) for his work. Tyler Vrabel, who acquired a ton of labor at proper deal with and has flown beneath the radar considerably, scored extra positively and handed the attention take a look at, and I’d assume he and Josh Miles are nonetheless hanging round within the deal with competitors at this level with one sport to go. The sneaky choose to make the roster past him may be Kyle Hinton, who has carried out nice work every of the previous two weeks and might credibly play a number of positions.

No matter the way you slice issues alongside the road, it’s arduous to shake the sensation that the Falcons will add to this group post-cutdown.

Lastly, all three quarterbacks seemed a minimum of strong on Friday evening, even when Woodside took time to get cooking. Ridder’s beginning and Heinicke is lcoekd in as his backup, and the one query is whether or not Woodside makes the 53 man roster or sits on the observe squad.

Protection

Clark Phillips: 48 (76%)

DeMarcco Hellams: 45

Darren Corridor: 34

Natrone Brooks: 32

Zach Harrison: 31

Micah Abernathy: 28

Mike Jones Jr.: 28

Kemoko Turay: 27

Tae Davis: 24

Breon Borders: 24

Nate Landman: 24

Albert Huggins: 24

Carlos Davis: 22

Arnold Ebiketie: 21

LaCale London: 21

Andre Smith Jr.: 20

DeAngelo Malone: 18

Jaylinn Hawkins: 18

Timothy Horne: 18

Clifford Chattman: 15

Lukas Denis: 14

Bless Austin: 14

A.J. Terrell: 11

Jessie Bates: 11

Kaden Elliss: 11

Tre Flowers: 11

Troy Andersen: 11

Richie Grant: 11

Delontae Scott: 10

Demone Harris: 10

Frank Ginda: 8

Dee Alford: 7

Justin Elliss: 7

Grady Jarrett: 7

Bud Dupree: 7

Calais Campbell: 7

David Onyemata: 6

Caeveon Patton: 4

Lorenzo Carter: 4

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The snap counts and when gamers entered the sport as soon as once more inform us so much this week. The Falcons had been particularly eager to get a take a look at Clark Phillips, however his roster spots needs to be secured. Ditto Tre Flowers, who entered with the starters. We don’t know when Mike Hughes will return, but when and when he does, it’s unclear the Falcons may have any room at cornerback for Darren Corridor or anybody else vying for a spot. It needs to be A.J. Terrell, Flowers till Jeff Okudah returns, Dee Alford, Phillips, and Hughes, after which maybe one spot that Corridor and appears to be the favourite for with Borders set to serve a suspension.

Issues are equally pretty settled at linebacker, the place the one large query is whether or not Turay is doing sufficient together with his prolonged snaps to stay within the outdoors linebacker group. At inside linebacker the Falcons appear settled with Landman and Davis as depth, with Jones Jr. and Smith Jr. competing for what’s prone to be a single observe squad spot. I assumed each performed properly on Friday, leaving the door open for one to settle issues in opposition to Pittsburgh on Thursday. Delontae Scott is a late addition who’s realistically simply pushing for a observe squad spot at outdoors linebacker, however he helped himself there with a wonderful day in prolonged motion Friday.

Up entrance, Horne and Huggins are clearly up for depth spots, with Gaziano’s absence giving Huggins an opportunity to proceed to push for a roster spot. It’s all the way down to that trio for 1-2 depth spots, because it has been for some time now, and the hope for Atlanta shall be that Gaziano can play within the preseason finale and assist the staff resolve. Carlos Davis and LaCale London each acquired longer appears to be like up entrance and performed properly sufficient to be within the working for observe spot roles themselves, assuming the Falcons don’t maintain anybody.

And the ultimate word right here is an apparent one: Hellams has performed fairly properly, attracts constant reward from the teaching employees, and is making this roster. The one query is whether or not Abernathy, who has been strong and gives particular groups worth himself, can also be sticking or not.

Particular Groups

DeAngelo Malone: 13

Micah Abernathy: 11

Bradley Pinion: 9

DeMarcco Hellams: 8

Godwin Igwebuike: 8

John FitzPatrick: 7

Darren Corridor: 7

Tucker Fisk: 7

Tae Davis: 7

Arnold Ebiketie: 7

Andre Smith Jr:. 7

Natrone Brooks: 6

Jaylinn Hawkins: 6

Zach Harrison: 6

Breon Borders: 6

Liam McCullough: 6

Nate Landman: 5

Mikes Jones Jr.: 5

Penny Hart: 5

Clifford Chattman: 5

Frank Ginda: 5

Younghoe Koo: 4

Lukas Denis: 4

J.J. Arcega-Whiteside: 4

Mathew Sexton: 4

Clint Ratkovich: 4

Tyler Vrabel: 3

Dee Alford: 3

Carlos Davis: 3

Kemoko Turay: 3

Josh Miles: 3

Jovaughn Gwyn: 3

Justin Shaffer: 3

Kyle Hinton: 3

Slade Bolden: 3

Jonotthan Harrison: 3

Parker Hesse: 2

Josh Ali: 2

Xavier Malone: 1

KhaDarel Hodge: 1

Keith Smith: 1

Clark Phillips: 1

LaCale London: 1

Timothy Horne: 1

Bless Austin: 1

Justin Ellis: 1

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Particular groups snaps are a pleasant clue for back-of-roster gamers. In that gentle, Hellams and Abernathy getting prolonged time on particular groups bodes properly for each, and the Falcons might significantly be contemplating maintaining 5 safeties. I’d prioritize Hellams, clearly, however Atlanta is giving Abernathy the snaps on protection and particular groups to make his case and I feel he’s carried out a nice job.

Equally, the time for Corridor and and Igwebuike bodes properly for each. Igwebuike has made his case throughout the board for a roster spot and may get it if the Falcons carry greater than three backs, whereas Corridor’s mixture of expertise, versatility, and particular groups capabilities ought to depart him in line for a sixth or seventh cornerback spot if one exists. The duo will get loads of enjoying time in opposition to Pittsburgh as soon as once more, however it could be an upset in the event that they don’t latch on to spots if they’re accessible.

The one different merchandise I’d word is that issues get attention-grabbing at tight finish, the place I feel all of us (justly) assume the depth chart is settled with Kyle Pitts, Jonnu Smith, Parker Hesse, and MyCole Pruitt occupying 4 spots. In that gentle, it’s between John FitzPatrick and Tucker Fisk for a observe squad tight finish function, and I’d put FitzPatrick within the lead due to his slight upside as a cross catcher and nice work in cross safety Friday.