FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons open the 2024 NFL regular season at home against the Steelers on Sept. 8 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Arthur Smith is out after back-to-back 7-10 seasons in Atlanta. Raheem Morris, a former Falcons interim head coach and defensive coordinator, who was on the staff of a pair of Super Bowl-winning teams has taken over a team with high hopes for 2024.
Those hopes come from what the Falcons added to the offense, specifically a legitimate starting quarterback in Kirk Cousins after struggling at the position since the Matt Ryan era. Atlanta has not had a winning season since Ryan's heyday seven years ago.
The team is much improved on paper offensively, but rather than adding a pass rusher with the No. 8 overall draft pick as expected, the Falcons took quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who will sit behind Cousins for the foreseeable future. The defense still has plenty of questions, which Morris and new defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake hope to answer.
Here is the 53-man roster projection:
QUARTERBACKS (3): Kirk Cousins, Michael Penix Jr., Taylor Heinicke
Could it be one of the better quarterback rooms in the league? Cousins is a productive veteran who could take Atlanta to the next level in 2024. Penix took Washington to the national championship game last season and was one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He is the Falcons' QB of the future. Heinicke is a seasoned, steady backup with experience starting games.
RUNNING BACKS (4): Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, Jase McClellan, Avery Williams
Robinson and Allgeier formed one of the best one-two running back punches in the league last season. Robinson, a rookie in 2023, is projected to be one of the NFL's best runners in 2024 and Allgeier already has a 1,000-yard rushing year under his belt. The running back room is a major Atlanta strength. McLellan, who nursed a foot injury in the spring, was a sixth-round draft pick out of Alabama.
WIDE RECEIVERS (6): Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Rondale Moore, Ray-Ray McCloud III, KhaDarel Hodge, Casey Washington
Plenty of versatility here in terms of speed, size and possession receivers. London, going into his third year, has a chance to break out as an elite wide receiver with the additions of Mooney and Moore, who can both stretch the field. McCloud is a return ace who will get reps in packages that use four or five wide-receivers. The Falcons drafted Washington in the sixth round out of Illinois and some believe he was a steal.
TIGHT ENDS (3): Kyle Pitts, Charlie Woerner, Ross Dwelley
Pitts, going into Year 4, has the chance to be one of the most productive receiving tight ends in the league if he can recapture the magic of his record-setting rookie season. He'll play a bit of wide receiver this season, as well. Woerner and Dwelley, both veterans of the San Francisco 49ers, have been brought in for their blocking.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (9): Chris Lindstrom, Jake Matthews, Kaleb McGary, Matthew Bergeron, Drew Dalman, Storm Norton, Kyle Hinton, Ryan Neuzil, Tyler Vrabel
One of the best units in the league. Lindstrom is a top-tier guard, one of the very best in the NFL, and Matthews has been a stalwart left tackle for a decade. Dalman and McGary are solid at center and right tackle, respectively. Bergeron, a second-round pick in 2023, is expected to blossom further in his second year.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (8): Grady Jarrett, David Onyemata, Zach Harrison, Ruke Orhorhoro, Brandon Dorlus, Eddie Goldman, Ta'Quon Graham, James Smith-Williams
An intriguing mix of experience and youth. Jarrett is a high-level defensive tackle who is trying to get healthy after tearing his right ACL last season. He and Onyemata will mentor promising rookies Orhorhoro and Dorlus, as well as second-year player Harrison who is just 22 years old. Goldman is a wild card. He hasn't played since 2021 after being a six-year starter with the Bears.
LINEBACKERS (7): Kaden Elliss, Lorenzo Carter, Arnold Ebiketie, Troy Andersen, Nate Landman, Bralen Trice, JD Bertrand
Ebiketie is considered a breakout candidate on the outside going into his third year. Andersen is coming back from missing nearly the entire 2023 season. Elliss is a steady force on the inside, along with Landman. Bertrand, a fifth-round pick out of Notre Dame, will join them. Trice, one of the best pass rushers in the nation out of Washington, will try to generate pressure for a team that hasn't gotten to the quarterback well in years.
CORNERBACKS (6): A.J. Terrell, Mike Hughes, Clark Phillips III, Antonio Hamilton Sr., Kevin King, Dee Alford
Terrell is one of the best cornerbacks in the league, but there are questions with the rest of this unit. Hughes and Phillips figure to battle for the second cornerback job. There were expectations that the Falcons could add to this group in the draft or free agency, but they did not, though that remains a possibility.
SAFTIES (4): Jessie Bates III, DeMarcco Hellams, Richie Grant, Micah Abernathy
Bates is on a short list of the elite safeties in the NFL and was a massive free agent pickup for the team in 2023. Hellams really came on last season as a second-year player and is expected to make another leap in 2023. Grant, a second-round pick in 2021, will look to make a statement in a contract year.
SPECIAL TEAMS (3): K Younghoe Koo, P Bradley Pinion, LS Liam McCullough
One of the best kickers in the league, Koo made all but two of his field goal attempts under 49 yards in 2023. Pinion won a Super Bowl with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers three seasons ago.