The Atlanta Falcons got their offseason underway with the firing of former head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot, along with the restructure of veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins. Now they’ve made some upgrades and additions to sure up their roster for the 2026 season.
Falcons Roster Updates
It was reported by Tori McElhaney of the official team site that the Falcons signed seven players to a reserve/future contract. A future/reserve contract is essentially a one-year deal that players sign after the regular season ends.
More than likely, it’s practice squad players. What a futures/reserve does is retain a player’s rights without affecting the salary cap or roster. It can be beneficial because it can add depth to the roster going into the offseason.
The players that were signed were,
- WR Chris Blair (Alcorn State)
- P Trenton Gill (North Carolina State)
- DB Tysheem Johnson (Oregon)
- DT Ben Stille (Nebraska)
- OT Andrew Stueber (Michigan)
- RB Carlos Washington (Southeastern Louisiana)
- DB A.J. Woods (Pittsburgh)
McElhaney also reported that all seven players spent time on the Falcons’ practice squad in 2025.
Breakdown of Some of the Offensive Signees
Chris Blair was on the practice squad for the latter part of the 2025 season. He was called up to the active roster for three games toward the end of the year. Blair did make plays in the preseason, catching a pass from quarterback Easton Stick in Week Two of the preseason vs. the Tennessee Titans that resulted in a touchdown. Blair is familiar with the system and could be serviceable in 2026.
Running back Carlos Washington spent the entire 2025 season on the practice squad and was called up for the team’s Week 1 game against Tampa Bay, but only played on special teams. Blair could remain on the practice squad this upcoming season, depending on how well he performs during offseason training and camp.
Offensive tackle Andrew Stauber played in seven games for the Bengals in 2024. He appeared in only one game for the Falcons in 2025, when they faced the Indianapolis Colts, according to the team’s official website.
Defensive Signings
The Falcons signed defensive backs A.J. Woods and Tysheem Johnson to future/reserve contracts. Woods and Johnson were both on the Falcons’ practice squad, and it helps with depth in the secondary.
The defensive back core for the Falcons has had quite a few injuries to players like A.J. Terrell Jr., Mike Hughes, and Clark Phillips III, among others.
Cobee Bryant was even elevated from the practice squad to play in a few games. That can help shore up the secondary amid any injury concerns they may face in 2026.
