As is common with teams which played in the Super Bowl the year before, there isn’t much room for rookies in Atlanta.
In fact, none of their rookies are listed as starters on the unofficial depth chart the team’s PR staff released.
First-round pass-rusher Takk McKinley is actually listed as a third-stringer at defensive end, behind veterans Brooks Reed and Adrian Clayborn.
Of course, McKinley’s been recovering from shoulder surgery and has only recently been given the green light to practice, so it’s not surprising that he’s a little behind. But he’s apparently shown positive signs in camp, and the Falcons are hoping he’s going to become an integral part of their defense.
Third-round linebacker Duke Riley and fourth-round guard Sean Harlow are each listed as backups.
Again, take all these depth charts with a grain of salt, as they’re prepared by PR staffers and not necessarily coaches. But it’s an interesting jumping-off point for discussion with games about to begin.