The Atlanta Falcons have made several roster changes and completed joint practices with the Tennessee Titans as they prepare for their upcoming preseason game. Following a shortened preseason match against the Detroit Lions, the Falcons signed safety Ronnie Harrison and center Jake Hanson, while releasing offensive lineman Michael Gonzalez and placing safety Grayland Arnold on the reserve/injured list. The team also reportedly signed cornerback C.J. Henderson, who was previously drafted ninth overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020.
This week, the Falcons hosted two days of joint practices with the Titans. On Tuesday, both quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins participated in 7-on-7 drills, with Penix completing all five of his passes. Head coach Raheem Morris had previously expressed reservations about these drills but agreed to them due to the presence of another team. Natrone Brooks continued to make progress on the roster, positioning himself as a potential first option off the bench at cornerback behind A.J. Terrell and Mike Hughes. Defensive lineman Ta’Quon Graham left practice early due to a calf injury and is considered week-to-week.
Wednesday’s practice featured an altercation involving Michael Penix Jr., who showed an uncharacteristically intense side during the incident. Dee Alford stood out defensively by intercepting Cam Ward during full-team work. Offensively, David Sills V saw increased time with the first-team offense over two days of joint practices, while Chris Blair became a frequent target for Kirk Cousins.
Head coach Raheem Morris commented on DeAngelo Malone’s recent performance: “DeLo was awesome in the game,” Morris said. “We played him at inside linebacker in the first half of the game and then the second half of the game we pulled some of those guys — whether it be Jalon (Walker) or James (Pearce Jr.) — and we were able to put DeLo out there at the outside backer position and so some of the rushing things from the outside edge and he was absolutely phenomenal.”
Looking ahead, key matchups such as A.J. Terrell versus Calvin Ridley and Zach Harrison against Kevin Zeitler are expected to draw attention during Friday’s preseason contest at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. This will be Atlanta’s final home preseason game before they return in September to open their regular season against Tampa Bay.
