The Falcons released their initial 53-man roster on Sunday evening, and the first cutdown brought a few notable surprises. Tyler Goodson and Azeez Ojulari were among the names moved off the roster as the team worked to get to the league deadline of Sunday, August 30 at 6 PM ET.
The timing matters because the roster is not necessarily finished. NFL teams often make additional moves in the days after the first 53-man list is submitted, and that means some of the players cut on Sunday could still be part of the Falcons' plan through the practice squad or another follow-up move.
Why the cuts stand out
Goodson drew attention after shining in the preseason, which made his release a bit unexpected. Ojulari was another name that stood out on the list of cuts. Those decisions show how hard it can be to make an opening roster, even for players who made a strong case during August.
The Falcons' roster decisions also come with an early-season backdrop. The team is scheduled to open Week 1 on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Falcons have never won on the road against Pittsburgh. That adds another layer to a roster picture that is still taking shape before the regular season begins.
What comes next
With the first cutdown complete, the next step is sorting out which players return on the practice squad and which positions could still change before Week 1. The Falcons' initial 53-man roster is official for now, but like most NFL roster trackers, it is very much a working document at this stage of the preseason.
