Falcons Make Surprise Cut 3 Days Before NFL Roster Deadline

The Atlanta Falcons have begun their roster cuts ahead of the NFL roster deadline Tuesday.

The Falcons announced releasing 12 players Saturday. The team also placed offensive lineman Jake Hanson on injured reserve.

The most notable cut of the 12 was veteran defensive lineman Morgan Fox.

Based on Fox's preseason usage in the team's defensive line rotation, it wasn't shocking the defensive lineman didn't make the roster. But he was easily the least-expected release the Falcons made to begin reducing their roster to 53 players.

Even Atlantafalcons.com's Terrin Waack couldn't deny the significance of Fox not making the team.

"The biggest surprise among the group is defensive lineman Morgan Fox,who was part of the Falcons’ initial signing wave in free agency," Waack wrote. "Fox is a proven veteran with 120 game appearances across eight seasons of work on his resume.

"Still, unlike some of the other experienced players in Atlanta, Fox played in all three of the Falcons' preseason games, making just four tackles, one of which was for a loss."

Falcons Release 12 Players Including Veteran DL Morgan Fox

Fox found himself listed as a third-team defensive lineman on the Atlanta depth chart for most of the preseason. If that wasn't enough of an indication that he could be on the roster bubble, Fox's preseason snaps indicated he could be.

The veteran played just eight snaps in Week 1 of the exhibition season. His snaps then increased every week, as if the team wanted him to prove himself worth a roster spot.

On Friday night against the Dallas Cowboys, Fox played 33 defensive snaps. According to Pro Football Focus, that was the most for any Falcons defensive linemen (excluding edge rushers).

Still, Fox is a surprising cut in part because of his salary. The Falcons signed the 30-year-old to a two-year, $5.5 million contract in March. With the small value and two-year deal, Fox actually had a higher dead cap hit ($3 million) than cap hit ($2.5 million) for 2025.

That $3 million dead cap hit will be spread out over the course of the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Releasing Fox gives the Falcons a $2.25 million dead cap hit in 2025.

The cap savings with the move are $2.5 million in 2026. However, the team will only save $250,000 against the cap this season according to Over The Cap.

Fox appeared in 17 games for the Los Angeles Chargers last season. He posted 3.5 sacks, four tackles for loss and six quarterback hits in 577 defensive snaps. Fox started three contests.

The veteran defensive lineman has started at least two games every year since 2019. He's played for the Chargers, Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams.

In 120 NFL games, he registered 27.5 sacks, 33 tackles for loss and 51 quarterback hits.

Here is a full list of the players the Falcons released on Saturday:
1. Matthew Cindric, offensive lineman
2. Ben DiNucci, quarterback
3. Elijah Dotson, running back
4. Morgan Fox, defensive lineman
5. Lamar Jackson, cornerback
6. Caleb Johnson, inside linebacker
7. Nikola Kalinic, tight end
8. Nick Kubitz, inside linebacker
9. Jesse Matthews, wide receiver
10. Ronnie Perkins, edge rusher
11. Quincy Skinner Jr., wide receiver
12. Josh Thompson, safety

Including Hanson landing on IR, the Falcons are down to 77 players. They must cut 24 more to get to 53 by 4 pm ET on Tuesday.