The Atlanta Falcons underwent one of the biggest transformations of any NFL team this past offseason. Atlanta replaced its head coach, gutted its QB room, and added talent on both sides of the ball. The Falcons are now primed to take over the NFC South and have a chance to make some noise in the NFC playoffs.
Atlanta already had a nice crop of skill position players to begin with, so it was not hard to turn them into an NFC South contender in one offseason. Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts are an impressive trio of players on offense, who are supplemented by some key role players like Tyler Allgeier and Darnell Mooney.
However, not everyone on the Falcons is destined to make the final roster.
Below, we will explore three players who are struggling so far in Falcons training camp. They will need strong preseason performances if they want to earn a spot on the team's 53-man final roster.
Is there still a place on the Falcons for QB Taylor Heinicke?
Taylor Heinicke feels like a forgotten man in the Falcons QB room.
Heinicke stayed with the Falcons this offseason, but his spot on the roster is flimsier than every.
The Atlanta Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a massive four-year, $180 million contract during free agency. Then, they turned around and drafted Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
This initially caused some controversy, but most people can see these moves for what they really are now. Cousins is the present, Penix Jr. is the future. Honestly, it was a wise move for the Falcons to draft a QB as an insurance policy for Cousins, who will enter the regular season at 36 years old and recovering from an Achilles injury.
All of this leaves Heinicke without a solidified role on the team, aside from hopefully a QB3. According to Daniel Flick of Sports Illustrated, Heinicke has largely been a bystander during training camp. Cousins is getting first-team snaps with Penix Jr. behind him on the second team. When the Falcons split into two different fields, Heinicke has been following Cousins and the ones — but he's rarely seen any action at all.
Heinicke's future remains a mystery, but he could easily become a cut candidate as we inch towards the regular season.
Rondale Moore is falling down the wide receiver depth chart in Atlanta
The Atlanta Falcons traded backup QB Desmond Ridder to the Arizona Cardinals earlier this offseason for WR Rondale Moore. Moore joins Darnell Mooney and a handful of other receivers as new faces in the position group.
Moore's calling cards are his speed and ability to break tackles. He is more of a flex player than a traditional wide receiver, as he benefitted more from manufactured touches in Arizona instead of catches from an actual route tree. This makes him an intriguing player to consider for the Falcons, but it may play a role in him tumbling down the team's depth chart.
Moore is reportedly trending in the right direction throughout camp, but he has been a disappointment thus far compared to expectations.
He has been playing well on the second-team offense, but Flick reports that he is clearly behind Ray-Ray McCloud in the team's battle for WR3.
Ultimately, Moore should feel disappointed if he enters the season behind a player like McCloud on the depth chart. However, that might be the most realistic outcome. The Falcons coaching staff may prioritize someone like McCloud who can play a traditional WR role and add special teams value over a gadget player like Moore.
Clark Phillips III is having a solid camp, but he's still sliding down the depth chart
The Atlanta Falcons drafted Clark Phillips III in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He had a strong rookie season, ending the year as the team's starting cornerback opposite of star A.J. Terrell. However, it appears that Phillips III is struggling in Falcons training camp.
Flick reports that Phillips III has lost his position as a starting outside cornerback to veteran Mike Hughes, who spent much of the 2023 season as the team's nickel CB.
This is an interesting development because Phillips III has been thriving in training camp — but he's done so in his new role, not as CB2.
At this point in training camp, Clark Phillips III is projecting as the team's fourth best CB heading into the season. That would certainly be a disappointing outcome for a player who earned a starting job during his rookie season.
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