Panthers Trade Christian McCaffrey to 49ers Ahead of Matchup vs. Falcons

OCT 20 MCCAFFREY DEALT Just days after the Carolina Panthers traded Robbie Anderson to the Arizona Cardinals, they've sent another key player to the NFC West.

The Panthers traded running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers for draft picks. ESPN was the first to report the news.

NFL Network is reporting that the Panthers will receive a second, third, and fourth-round pick in 2023, as well as a fifth-round pick in 2024.

The Atlanta Falcons will play the McCaffrey-less Panthers in Weeks 8 & 10.

OCT 17 TRADE WIND Is it a fire sale yet?

The Arizona Cardinals have acquired wide receiver Robbie Anderson from the Carolina Panthers via trade. … and while the 1-5 Panthers want the world to know they’re not conducting a “fire sale,” we’ll …

Anderson, who played in Los Angeles against the Rams on Sunday, was kicked out of the game by his own head coach, Steve Wilks.

"I was honestly confused," Anderson said after the game. "I wanted to be in the game. I've never had somebody yell to get out of the game. So I was honestly confused and upset by that. I should be. I don't see nobody that is a true competitor, that knows the value they bring and has true passion for the game, that will be OK with being told not to do something or being taken out of something when they didn't do nothing wrong."

Carolina won’t “dump” Christian McCaffrey. But as the Panthers watch Atlanta rise in the NFC South … more changes are likely in store.

OCT 11 BROWNS SIGN FORMER FALCON TYELER DAVISON

Just two days after trading for linebacker Deion Jones, the Cleveland Browns have added another former Atlanta Falcons defender to the team.

According to NFL Network, the Browns signed defensive tackle Tyeler Davison to the practice squad.

Davison, 30, played three seasons with the Falcons from 2019-21.

OCT 7 FALCONS SIGN CHRIS HINTON

The Atlanta Falcons have signed rookie defensive tackle Chris Hinton to the practice squad. In a corresponding move, the Falcons placed defensive tackle Derrick Tangelo on the practice squad injured reserve.

Hinton, 22, played collegiately at Michigan after being a consensus top-50 recruit out of high school. He signed with the New York Giants after going undrafted but was waived in the second round of cuts.

Hinton's father, Chris, played 13 years in the NFL as an offensive guard and tackle in the 1980s and 1990s, including four with the Falcons from 1990 to 1993, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.

OCT 5 COLE BEASLEY RETIRES

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Cole Beasley is calling it a career after 11 seasons in the NFL.

Beasley signed with the Bucs two weeks ago after several wide receiver injuries plagued the team.

However, before Tampa's game against the Atlanta Falcons this weekend, Beasley is hanging up his cleats.

The Falcons will now look to face wide receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Breshad Perriman and former Atlanta legend Julio Jones.

OCT 4 VIKINGS SIGN KHYIRIS TONGA FROM FALCONS PRACTICE SQUAD

The Minnesota Vikings have signed nose tackle Khyiris Tonga from the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad.

Tonga, 26, originally signed with the Falcons on Sept. 5 after being waived by the Chicago Bears in the final round of preseason cuts. A seventh-round draft pick in 2021, Tonga played in 15 games during his rookie season, making a pair of starts. He totaled 24 tackles, one tackle-for-loss and a fumble recovery.

Now, the 6-3, 338-pounder will return to the NFC North while the Falcons are left in need of another member for their practice squad.

OCT 3 FALCONS WORKING OUT WILL COMPTON

The Atlanta Falcons are hosting 10-year veteran linebacker Will Compton in for a workout. The news was announced on Barstool Sports.

Compton played two games last season with the Las Vegas Raiders and did not sign with a team this season. He says that the Falcons offered him a workout two weeks ago, but he hasn't been able to until now.

Compton spent the 2018 and 2020 seasons with the Tennessee Titans, where Arthur Smith was a coach and Dean Pees was a defensive coordinator.

SEPT 24 FALCONS ELEVATE DARBY

The Atlanta Falcons have elevated receiver Frank Darby to the active roster from the practice squad ahead of Sunday's Week 3 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks.

A 2021 sixth-round draft pick, Darby played in 10 games for the Falcons during his rookie season but was waived in the final round of cuts following the preseason.

The game will mark Darby's first time on the active roster this season.

SEPT 21 BRADY BLASTS NFL 

To some degree, Tom Brady thinks the suspension is his fault. But regardless, he still finds it "ridiculous.''

As the Atlanta Falcons try to find their way in the NFC South, they eyeball this weekend's game pitting Brady's Bucs against the Saints - a game in which Bucs star receiver Mike Evans might not play.

Brady has already conceded via Let’s Go! with Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray that he deserves some blame for the Evans suspension, as Evans’s role in the altercation with Marshon Lattimore came in defense of teammate Brady arguing a call. However, Brady doesn’t think Evans should be suspended in the first place.

“I don’t think it deserved any type of suspension; I think that's ridiculous,” Brady said. “Hopefully we can move past it and get to a better place.”

Evans is appealing his suspension, and the final decision should come on Wednesday.

SEPTEMBER 17 FALCONS ELEVATE CALEB HUNTLEY, ABDULLAH ANDERSON TO ACTIVE ROSTER

The Atlanta Falcons have elevated running back Caleb Huntley and defensive lineman Abdullah Anderson from the practice squad to the active roster.

Huntley figures to be in contention for carries with rookie Tyler Allgeier, while Anderson will offer Atlanta a versatile rotational piece up front.

Teams are allotted one practice squad elevation per game, but with the Falcons placing running back Damien Williams on injured reserve, were able to activate two players for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams.

SEPTEMBER 15 SEAHAWKS SIGN TEEZ TABOR OFF FALCONS PRACTICE SQUAD

After seeing safety Jamal Adams go on injured reserve this week, the Seattle Seahawks signed defensive back Teez Tabor from the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad to their 53-man roster.

Tabor played last season with the Chicago Bears and spent training camp with the Falcons, but did not make the initial 53-man roster. Now, Tabor gets an opportunity to play with the Seahawks.

The Falcons visit the Seahawks in Week 3 on September 25.

SEPTEMBER 14 FALCONS SIGN RUNNING BACK B.J. BAYLOR

With backup running back Damien Williams battling through a rib injury and not participating in practice, the Atlanta Falcons have signed rookie tailback B.J. Baylor to the practice squad.

Baylor, 24, was an All-Pac 12 First Team honoree while starring at Oregon State, where he was coached by now-Falcons running backs coach Michael Pitre for three years. 

The 5-10, 202-pound Baylor was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent but was waived in the first round of cuts. He figures to fill the role of Caleb Huntley on Atlanta's practice squad if Williams is knocked out of action.

SEPTEMBER 13 FALCONS ELEVATE ANTHONY FIRKSER TO ACTIVE ROSTER, SIGN DYLAN MABIN

The Atlanta Falcons have officially signed tight end Anthony Firkser to the active roster. Firkser was elevated from the practice squad to the roster for Atlanta's Week 1 contest with the New Orleans Saints. 

There was no corresponding roster move as the Falcons only had 52 players following the release - and, later, practice squad addition - of defensive lineman Abdullah Anderson.

Additionally, the Falcons signed cornerback Dylan Mabin to the practice squad. The 6-1, 195-pound Mabin has played in four career NFL games, all in 2020. He's spent time with the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders, largely as a special teams player.

SEPTEMBER 13 FORMER FALCONS WORKING OUT FOR 49ERS

After San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell landed on Injured Reserve (IR) following their loss to the Chicago Bears, the team invited a number of veteran running backs for a workout.

The list included former Atlanta Falcons Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman.

Freeman played six seasons in Atlanta from 2014-19, running for over 1,000 yards twice. Meanwhile, Coleman played four seasons with the Falcons from 2015-18, running for 800 yards in his last season in Atlanta. Coleman also played two seasons with the Niners previously from 2019-20.

SEPTEMBER 7 FALCONS TO WEAR RED HELMETS TWICE

After the Atlanta Falcons' previous announcement that their red throwback helmets will be making a long-awaited return, the team has doubled down, committing to wearing the helmets twice.

During the initial release, the Falcons revealed plans to wear the helmet only in Week 6 against the San Francisco 49ers. With the new commitment, Atlanta will also sport the alternate helmet against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13.

The return of the red helmet comes after the NFL afforded team's the right to wear an alternate-colored lid, a direction the league initially went away from due to player safety. The Falcons' contest against San Francisco will be the first time the helmet design has hit the field since 2012.

SEPTEMBER 5 FALCONS SIGN KHYIRIS TONGA TO PRACTICE SQUAD

The Atlanta Falcons have signed nose tackle Khyiris Tonga to their practice squad. The 6-4, 338-pound Tonga was a 2021 seventh-round pick by the Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Pace, now with the Falcons in an advisory role.

Tonga, 26, played in 15 games during his rookie season, and made a pair of starts. He totaled 24 tackles, one tackle-for-loss and a fumble recovery.

Tonga will fill Atlanta's 16th and final spot on the practice squad.