The Atlanta Falcons' 2026 roster faces significant changes following the draft, with several players, including WR Casey Washington and TE Charlie Woerner, on the bubble. Incumbents must prove themselves to secure their spots amid new competition.
He checks a lot of boxes for this list. Washington is a late draft pick from the former regime who got a bit of buzz as a sure-handed target with quality size and figured to push for WR4 over the long haul. Instead, he has just six catches for 94 yards over two seasons and 15 games, with numerous injuries that include multiple concussions and a back ailment along the way. He also hasnāt had much of a role on special teams. If heās totally healthy, Washington can push for WR5 duties with a strong summer, but the new regime has no attachments and heās given them very little to consider to this point.
Players like WR Casey Washington, TE Charlie Woerner, and EDGE Bralen Trice are among those facing uncertainty regarding their positions on the roster.
Charlie Woerner's performance has declined, and with the potential to save $4.75 million by cutting him, he must have an outstanding summer to secure his spot.
The Falcons' new signings create intense competition, particularly in positions like wide receiver and cornerback, putting pressure on incumbents to perform.
Casey Washington, a late draft pick with limited production and injuries, needs a strong summer to compete for a spot, as the new regime has no prior attachments to him.
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In 2024, Woerner was a vital cog in the run game who paved the way effectively for Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. Last year, his performance slipped a bit, and heās now set to make nearly $6 million in 2026. With the Falcons bringing aboard bruising blocking tight end Brandon Frazier in their undrafted free agent class, and with the teamās ability to save $4.75 million by cutting ties with Woerner, his position on the depth chart is far from guaranteed. He needs an absolutely stellar summer to ensure he sticks around.
Last yearās seventh round pick no longer has the coaching staff and front office that drafted him around, most notably offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford, and played just four snaps in 2025. The Falcons have imported Ethan Onianwa (who is probably moving to guard but *could* play tackle) and hulking tackle Riley Mahlmann, and so Nelson will be battling for a spot with Storm Norton and Mike Jerrell also pushing for spots. I hope he can make itāI think heās promisingābut itās far from guaranteed.
Itās a numbers game, and Trice simply hasnāt been healthy to this point. A very productive college pass rusher with the size and willingness to be a capable run defender, Trice seemed like great value in the third round of the 2024 draft, but has yet to appear in a regular season NFL game. A looming James Pearce Jr. suspension may help keep him on the roster, but the Falcons added Azeez Ojulari, Samson Ebukam, and Cameron Thomas and still have DeAngelo Malone around as a potential core special teams guy. Trice has to be healthy this year to stick.
Andersen has proven he can play at a high level, if only in short stretches, but faces the same roster calculus as Andersen. The Falcons have Divine Deablo, signed Christian Harris to compete for a starting job and Channing Tindall as a special teamer, and drafted both Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. at linebacker. If heās fully healthy, Andersenās coverage ability alone will give him an inside track to a roster spot, and heāll be in the mix to start with Harris and Daniels. At this point, as youāve noticed from my post-draft comments hyping Daniels for a starting job, I have my doubts that will happen. Given that a truly healthy Andersen is also unquestionably one of this teamās better linebackers, I still *hope* it will happen.
The cornerback corps is heavy with options, and itās likely to cost multiple roster stalwarts jobs this summer. Phillips has been either hurt or buried on the depth chart during much of his three year run in Atlanta, Brooks and Ford are here chiefly for their special teams value, and Henderson and Bryant are well-liked by this defensive staff but facing fierce competition. In addition to Avieon Terrell, the Falcons traded for Sydney Brown and signed Darnay Holmes in the offseason, and Iād bet heavily on the Falcons locking in the two Terrells, Mike Hughes, Billy Bowman Jr., and Brown as their top five options at cornerback. That leaves likely one roster spot and some practice squad openings for five players, so a couple of roster stalwarts are almost certainly headed elsewhere this year. Who else do you see being on the roster bubble this summer?