Are you paying close attention? I see opportunities to be had for many guys in the Atlanta Falcons' rookie class. While neither Kirk Cousins nor Michael Penix Jr. is expected to play at quarterback in their first preseason game of the summer vs. the Detroit Lions on Friday night, get ready for a ton of Easton Stick and Emory Jones. There are young players galore on this team, on defense and at receiver.
While high draft picks like Jalon Walker and Xavier Watts will play some, they are still working their way back from minor injuries. Although I do expect for other members of the rookie class like James Pearce Jr., Billy Bowman Jr. and Jack Nelson to play a good amount in this exhibition contest, nobody has a chance to make a bigger name for himself than undrafted free agent wide receiver Nick Nash.
The former San Jose State star was initially a quarterback before switching positions midway through his college career. While he had no problem getting his numbers in the Mountain West, Nash may soon find out that the NFL is quite different. The reason why I think he can force a roster shakeup with just one game has everything to do with Darnell Mooney being sidelined and the fact that competition abounds at this spot.
Here is what Nash needs to do to somehow end up making the Falcons' 53-man roster out of camp.
Nick Nash must make of depth chart ground to make the Atlanta Falcons
As it stands now, Nash comes in as the No. 3 option at slot receiver on the Falcons' depth chart. Ourlads has him slotted behind Ray-Ray McCloud III and special teams ace Jamal Agnew for that spot. McCloud is making this team, as may Agnew. Could there be other guys Nash could take roster spots from? We know Mooney and Drake London are locks, as is KhaDarel Hodge on special teams.
With four, maybe five wide receiver spots locked up (if we want to give one to Agnew), Nash needs to beat out the following players to be WR5 or 6: Chris Blair, D.J. Chark and Casey Washington. (David Sills V has looked nice in camp, but he feels like a long shot to make the team.) Blair has been around for a bit. Chark is a newcomer in free agency. Washington is a second-year player.
Not to say that Mooney was going to play much in the preseason, if at all, but Nash has been with the team long enough to build up some level of rapport with Stick and Jones throwing him the football. Ideally, Chark should be able to flourish, as he is a former Pro Bowler with the Jaguars as well as having been teammates with Stick last year in Los Angeles. The two worked out together in Dallas, too.
To me, I think as long as Nash holds his own in competition with Blair and Washington, he has a great shot to make the team. Sills is the one guy behind him on the depth chart to watch out for. Again, London, Mooney, McCloud and Hodge are all making this team. Agnew's roster spot could be decided by how he performs in the preseason games. Atlanta will carry six wide receivers, if I had to guess.
So what I am getting at is Nash needs to come out with a bang and make a few plays right away vs. the Lions on Friday night. Again, there are only three preseason games to be had this summer for UDFA such as Nash. They have no choice but to make the most of it. Even if Nash does not make the team, Atlanta would love to have him part of the practice squad. He would be subjected to waivers, but still.
So much of Nash's chances of making the Falcons' 53-man roster hinges on playing well vs. Detroit.