FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga., July 25, 2024
Falcons Trim Roster Ahead of Training Camp Kickoff
Cornerback Kevin King among initial cuts as competition heats up for the Atlanta Falcons’ defensive positions.
The Atlanta Falcons kicked off their training camp on Thursday, offering a glimpse at potential starters for their Week 1 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fierce competition is unfolding on the defensive depth chart, with several roster battles already shaping up. One notable move saw the team release former Green Bay Packers second-round pick, cornerback Kevin King, on Thursday afternoon, according to team announcements.
While procedural moves are common for players on the fringes of the roster, and King could potentially return, his release isn’t a positive sign for the six-year veteran. King participated in 15 games for the Falcons in 2024, starting one. He recorded 10 tackles and a fumble recovery, and was a regular contributor on Atlanta’s special teams.
King’s departure was the first of several roster adjustments announced by the Falcons. Undrafted free agent Cobee Bryant, who carried high expectations, has been placed on the Non-Football-Injury list (NFI). Players on the NFI list are typically injured away from team activities and do not accrue pay while on the list. If Bryant begins the season on NFI, he will miss at least the first four games.
Joining Bryant on the NFI list are defensive tackle LaCale London and linebacker Malik Verdon. London had been a rotational player for the Falcons in 2023 but did not see game action in 2024. Verdon, an undrafted free agent from Iowa State, was considered a long shot to make the team even before his placement on the list.
Head coach Raheem Morris had spoken highly of Bryant following the draft, but his undisclosed injury now presents a significant hurdle in securing a spot on a competitive 53-man roster.
“Cobee is the most famous undrafted player I’ve ever been around,” Morris said before rookie mini-camp. “My kids know him. It’s unbelievable, all the stuff that he has and the accolades. But, when you go back and watch the tape, you’re not shocked that he’s well-known. The amount of players that he’s played against and the guys that he’s able to compete against when you watch his tape is exciting.”
The Falcons had referred to their undrafted free agent class as “the eighth round,” with Bryant being a specific target. He was widely considered an early Day 3 selection in the draft.
“It’s the reason you’re able to get a guy like Cobee,” Morris explained. “We didn’t take an outside corner in the draft. There’s a guy that you can go and sit down and talk with and really talk about it, convince him to come in here, having a great opportunity to go out there and compete and be the best version of himself.
“We were fortunate enough to be able to bring him here on a 30 visit and to get a chance to meet with him and get around him and really find some real interest and be able to grow. Then, when it came down to that – let’s call it what it is, the recruiting process – I had a real clear vision and was able to really speak to him in a real clear fashion because I had watched the tape. I’d been around him. I knew what he can do.
“I knew what he was capable of. Whoever we were competing with basically didn’t have a chance.”
Currently, Bryant’s primary focus is on recovery to get on the field at Falcons training camp. The team is scheduled to practice again on Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. at IBM Performance Field in Flowery Branch.
