Falcons Trim Roster by Cutting 11 Players

Aug 24, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Atlanta Falcons tackle Jeff Nady (70) on the sideline during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at LP Field. Tennessee won 27-16. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

In the NFL, roster construction matters to a degree that many people don’t realize, and throughout the preseason, there roster cut-downs in order to make things work per NFL deadlines. On Sunday, the first big cut-down took place, and the Falcons trimmed their roster by 11 players in one fell swoop. By Tuesday (August 27th), the Falcons must have downsized their roster to 75 players, and the first step in cutting that number was the release of this group:

Tackle Jeff Nady, running back Donald Russell, tight end Tim Biere, safety Troy Sanders, fullback Devonte Campbell, linebacker Nick Clancy, tight end Colin Cloherty, quarterback Seth Doege, defensive end Cam Henderson,center Matt Smith and defensive end Brandon Thurmond

To be honest, there isn’t a single name here that moves the meter. The hometown favorite would have been running back Donald Russell, who went to school at Georgia State, but other than that, no attachments had been formed with this group and the fan base.

However, the team has only cut its roster 78 players after these moves, meaning that 3 more cuts are coming prior to Tuesday afternoon’s deadline. It is probably too early to speculate on the last three cuts, but it is certainly possible that a recognizable name or two could be snipped.

Stay tuned in this space for news as the moves emerge.