The most surprising move of the day for the Atlanta Falcons came in the decision to release Super Bowl Champion, safety Jordan Fuller. The team instead decided to keep just three safeties on their 53-man roster.
All-Pro Jessie Bates III, rookie Xavier Watts, and former Alabama defensive back DeMarcco Hellams earned the final nod.
The decision to move on from Fuller comes as a surprise to many, as he was widely accepted as a favorite to make the roster.
“The safety spot was originally thought to be one of the only pre-ordained positions on the roster, but Jordan Fuller was surprisingly released,” writes SI’s Garrett Chapman. “There will be plenty of rotation here, but the only question that looms is who starts alongside Jessie Bates.”
That honor likely belongs to rookie Xavier Watts. Watts was the steal of the draft. The dirty birds took him with the final pick of the third round, trading up with the Philadelphia Eagles to land the now projected starter.
But Hellams is the real surprise here. Hellams has been with the team since 2023, but has thus far been constantly plagued with injuries.
“Third-year safety DeMarcco Hellams missed the last two preseason games and has been seen in a yellow pinnie during practices,” Chapman continued. “He provides a physical presence in the secondary and will be active this fall after missing all of 2024 with an injury.”
They are putting a lot of chips in Hellams basket considering his injury history. If he goes down again, the team is down to two safeties in the room.
Lamar Jackson and Cobee Bryant Released
The cornerback room had the most movement of the day. Whether it was with the big names the team released, such as Lamar Jackson and Cobee Bryant, or the sheer amount of bodies they kept in the room.
AJ Terrell Jr, Mike Hughes, Natrone Brooks, and Clark Phillips III are the four traditional cornerbacks the team decided to keep on roster.
Hughes and Terrell were always the starters, but there was a very real four way battle for the final two spots. Brooks has been with the Falcons since 2023. He started on the practice squad, and eventually earned a handful of opportunities last season playing on special teams and as a package piece on the defense. Phillips was also a bubble player, and a rib injury suffered late in camp felt like the final blow for his roster hopes.
But ultimately it was Jackson and Bryant who got the axe.
“Lamar Jackson started fast, but faded down the stretch,” Chapman writes. “UDFA Cobee Bryant was a fan favorite, but injuries and a stint on the NFI list to open camp hurt his ability to get enough reps.”
Team Keeps Three Nickel Backs
Another factor that lead to the team cutting Fuller was the determination to keep on three nickel backs. Rookie Billy Bowman, who broke several records at Oklahoma, seems to have earned the starting spot.
He was competing with veterans Dee Alford and Mike Ford, who the team decided would be best left on roster as well. This brings the corner total up to seven, and drops the safety position to three. Even though nickel corner is very similar to a strong safety type role.
“At the nickel, rookie Billy Bowman battled veterans Dee Alford and Mike Ford for reps with the first-team unit and has slowly taken over at the position,” Chapman concludes. “The staff saw enough from both Ford and Alford in special teams and as a combo inside-outside corner to afford spots.”
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