Walls reaches settlement as Falcons cut down to 77
Falcons running back Michael Turner (33) runs over Miami Dolphins linebacker Jared Ordick. Turner finished with 35 yards on 10 carries. MCT
UPDATE 2: The Falcons released eight players and reached agreements with three others to cut their roster down to 77 players on Saturday.
The Falcons waived tight end Chase Coffman, linebacker Max Gruder, kicker Erik Folk, running back Richard Medlin, fullback Lee Meisner, defensive end Louis Nzegwu, wide receiver Kenny Stafford and tight end Aron White.
Also, the team placed tackle Will Svitek on injured reserve and reached injury settlements with defensive tackle Elisha Joseph and cornerback Darrin Walls.
The roster currently stands at 77 players. The league requires that roster be cut down to 75 players by 4 p.m. on Monday.
The Falcons must cut the roster down to 53 players by Friday. They can add eight players to practice squad on Saturday.
UPDATE 1: The Falcons have made their cuts and mad not go all the way down to 75 today. They have until Monday at 4 p.m.
Coffman sent out a tweet: @Chase_Coffman Just released & now on to the next step the Lord has
The Missouri Connection lost a member today, tight end Chase Coffman. Safety William Moore and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon are roster locks. (D. Orlando Ledbetter/dledbetter@ajc.com)
planned for me. Enjoyed Atl. #keeponkeepinon
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AJC ONE landed back the ATL after a less than 24-hour stay in the MIA.
We are on the Turk watch today. There could be some major surprises when the Falcons cut their roster down from 89 players to 75.
The Falcons are expected to make their cuts today before the Monday 4 p.m. deadline.
The team does not practice today, but wants to have the roster trimmed down by Sunday’s practice so that they can start preparing for Thursday’s exhibition season finale against Jacksonville.
Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith meet with every player that is released. They treat the process much like a exit job interview.
“Anytime that you have to make decisions about young man’s future, they are not easy decisions,” said Smith late last night after the 23-6 win over the Dolphins. “These guys have worked extremely hard with us.”
The Falcons must cut down to their 53-man roster by Friday.
“The 75 [cut] is probably not as difficult as the 53, but it is still difficult,” Smith said. “The number of decisions that you have to make are not just going to be based on this week. They are going to have to be based on next week as well because you’ve got to have guys to make sure that you have depth at all of the positions to play in the game next week.”
The Falcons open the regular season on Sept. 9 at Kansas City.
Here are some twitter accounts to track as some of the players have likely been released already. The team is likely waiting to send out an encompassing official released.
SOME FALCONS ON TWITTER TO MONITOR:
@jpwilson4 – QB John Parker Wilson
@TGallarda – TE Tommy Gallarda
@KCone12 – WR Kevin Cone
@bobbymac36 – CB Robert McClain
@J_Rodgers1 – Rookie wide receiver James Rodgers
@LBrown_7 – Rookie wide receiver LaMark Brown
@Tyler63Horn – Rookie center Tyler Horn
@PatSchiller53 – Rookie linebacker Pat Schiller
@guccigruder55 – Rookie linebacker Max Gruder
@Bama_Boy256 – Rookie linebacker Jerrell Harris
@MicanorLRegis – Rookie defensive tackle Micanor Regis
@aujharris – Rookie long snapper Josh Harris
@Louis_Nzegwu – Rookie DE Louis Nzgewu
@tattedNspatted – Rookie CB Peyton Thompson
@MartyMarkett – Rookie DB Marty Markett
@barico47obama – Rookie LB Rico Council
@aronwhite81 – Rookie TE Aron White
@kstaff07 – Rookie WR Kenny Stafford
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VIDEO: Matt Ryan, Lousaka Polite featured after loss to Bengals
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59 comments Add your comment
Mister.Earl
August 26th, 2012
8:46 am
Back in the day the Falcons had a talented quarterback from Tennessee State who had an excellent pre season. He wore number 14.
Gilbert Renfroe was also cut.
tony
August 26th, 2012
9:59 am
our qb got a weak arm
Th
August 26th, 2012
10:06 am
I am beginning to wonder if Matt Ryan is Joe Johnson all over again. A very good player who won’t get you where you want to go.
I also wonder if a coach who came to Atlanta to run first and play hard-nosed defense is the right guy to direct a wide open attack. We will know by Christmas.
Pandora
August 26th, 2012
10:30 am
They should have started with “Spaghetti arms Matt Ryan”…they should have cut him. He is over rated big time! He is the saddest quarterback in the league.
Falcon James
August 26th, 2012
10:38 am
Everybody already know that Ryan does not have the strongest arm in the NFL. But what idiot says he is the worst? Just in Pre-Season this year, he is the highest rated QB in the league? Last year he was ranked 11th. How is that over rated?
Seriously
August 26th, 2012
10:45 am
I need one valid reason Redman is still in the NFL!
First time Season Tix Holder
August 26th, 2012
12:10 pm
The Falcons have made their cuts and mad not go all the way down to 75 today. They have until Monday at 4 p.m.
What does that mean?
Decatur Falcon
August 26th, 2012
12:59 pm
The truth is that the Falcons need to cut Redman and JPW. I have been looking at the preseason games and they have showed me nothing. They both look scared out there throwing the football, and the football has been coming out with no accuracy. Mike Smith needs to look at the film, and I watched the games twice on NFL Network. Keep Davis and add another Offensive Lineman or Defensive Lineman on the roster. Just maybe he is holding out until the last preseason game until to see if he should cut, those two quarterbacks. We shall see. GO FALCONS!!!!
St Simons
August 26th, 2012
7:30 pm
god, how can they call themselves managers and not have ONE nfl
caliber left tackle on the roster at this point?
A noodlearm with zero LTs. This is going to be ugly.