FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons open the 2023 NFL regular season against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 10 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said multiple times throughout the offseason he wanted it to be difficult to make Atlanta's roster this season, in part because it would mean there was an upgrade in talent and also because it would indicate more depth than the Falcons have had in their first two seasons under Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot.
While top-line players like defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London are obvious, what happens through the rest of the roster will be critical. Throughout the offseason, both through transactions and on-field work, it appears the depth will be greater than last season, but we'll know more a month from now when training camp ends and the roster is finalized.
Here is my pre-training camp 53-man roster projection:
QUARTERBACK (2): Desmond Ridder, Taylor Heinicke
Having three quarterbacks is both a luxury and a necessity as the San Francisco 49ers showed last season. Ridder is the starter, Heinicke the backup. Logan Woodside could make the roster or end up on the practice squad. For now, we'll place him on the practice squad.
RUNNING BACK (4): Tyler Allgeier, Bijan Robinson, Cordarrelle Patterson, Carlos Washington Jr.
The first three are obvious, and will all have clear roles in Atlanta's offense and special teams. With Caleb Huntley recovering from an Achilles injury, we'll place him on the Physically Unable to Perform list for now. Avery Williams tore his ACL in the team's first OTA on June 2 and will spend the season on injured reserve. The question is Washington Jr., and it's possible Atlanta has a different back in the No. 4 slot. If Huntley can get back before the start of the season, he'd take Washington's place.
FULLBACK (1): Keith Smith
Who wins this job between Smith and Clint Ratkovich will depend on special teams, where Smith is a stalwart.
WIDE RECEIVER (5): Drake London, Mack Hollins, KhaDarel Hodge, Scotty Miller, Josh Ali
This is a tough decision outside of London and likely Hollins. Hodge offers special teams capability and the Falcons trusted him last season. Miller is a speedy receiver who has flexibility. Ali was a standout throughout the spring and in a crowded room with few definitive answers, that gives him the edge now. Should Ali, Penny Hart or Keilahn Harris win the punt returner job, they'll obviously end up on the 53, which could bump this number to six. There is a lot that could change from this projection to the final one outside of London.
TIGHT END (4): Kyle Pitts, Jonnu Smith, Parker Hesse, John FitzPatrick
Pitts and Smith are keys to the offense and Hesse is a blocking tight end with a clear role. Arthur Smith likes having versatile tight ends and FitzPatrick, who essentially had a redshirt year last year coming off an injury suffered at Georgia, picks up the fourth spot. But don't be surprised if the Feleipe Franks transition to tight end continues or Tucker Fisk ends up as a second blocking tight end.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Jake Matthews, Matt Hennessy, Drew Dalman, Chris Lindstrom, Kaleb McGary, Matthew Bergeron, Jalen Mayfield, Ethan Greenidge, Jovaughn Gwyn
The first six names are likely set: The potential starting five and Bergeron, Atlanta's second-round pick. Mayfield has flexibility between guard and tackle, which could end up getting him another shot on the roster, and Greenidge is a player who has gotten some work with the second unit at tackle, although don't be surprised if Tyler Vrabel were to win a potential fourth tackle gig. Gwyn was a seventh-round pick this year but he's going to have to hold off interior linemen Kyle Hinton and last year's sixth-round pick, Justin Shaffer, for a roster spot. It's possible Ryan Neuzil, who has made an impression with the coaching staff, ends up on the 53. The last three to four spots will be very competitive.
DEFENSIVE LINE (7): Grady Jarrett, Calais Campbell, David Onyemata, Eddie Goldman, Ta'Quon Graham, Zach Harrison, Timmy Horne
Joe Gaziano was a difficult cut here, but other than Goldman and Horne it feels like this group is set. If Goldman, who is coming off a year retirement and was not seen at any of the open-to-the-media workouts, returns in high-level form, this group is deep and talented. Even without him, it would be a better group than Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot have had in the past. If Atlanta goes heavy here or Goldman or Horne don't show well, Gaziano could easily end up on the roster.
EDGE RUSHER (4): Bud Dupree, Lorenzo Carter, Arnold Ebiketie, DeAngelo Malone
This group feels pretty set, although Ade Ogundeji could end up making this a five-man room with a good camp as he's been working more with his hand on the ground than in prior years. The bigger question here is who starts among the four. How the defensive line battles shake out could impact going four or five deep.
LINEBACKER (4): Troy Andersen, Kaden Elliss, Mykal Walker, Nate Landman
Andersen and Elliss seem like the starters with Walker playing a key role, although the competition between Walker and Elliss to start next to Andersen will be a fun one. Landman shuffled between the active roster and practice squad last season and will likely be in a deep competition for a potential fourth linebacker spot.
CORNERBACK (6): A.J. Terrell, Jeff Okudah, Dee Alford, Mike Hughes, Clark Phillips III, Tre Flowers
This is an interesting group. Terrell and Okudah should start at corner and Alford is making a strong case at nickel. Phillips III was a fourth-round pick and will have a special teams role at first. Hughes can play inside or outside and Flowers is an experienced corner. There will be pressure, though, from guys like Darren Hall and Cornell Armstrong -- both of whom started at points for Atlanta last season -- for a backup spot.
SAFETY (4): Jessie Bates III, Richie Grant, Jaylinn Hawkins, DeMarcco Hellams
Bates III is a starter. At this point, Grant, seems like he'll be opposite Bates but Hawkins has experience and all three should be on the field for Atlanta. Hellams was a seventh-round pick, which gives him the slight nod over Micah Abernathy as of now, but this could change. There may be a path where both Abernathy and Hellams end up on the roster.
SPECIALISTS (3): Younghoe Koo (K), Bradley Pinion (P), Liam McCullough (LS)
No competition. No questions. These should be Atlanta's specialists for the second straight season. The Falcons signed Matthew Trickett after minicamp, but it's Koo's job considering what Atlanta is paying him ($3.5 million of his contract is guaranteed in 2023) and his talent level. Trickett's signing is likely a combination of insurance, a camp leg to keep Koo's leg fresh and a longer look at someone for the future.