Jaeden Graham Making His Case

[Tim Mazetti]

Falcons TE Jaeden Graham making his case for the 53-man roster

So long as his injury isn’t serious.

By David J Walker@FalcoholicDW  Aug 23, 2019, 10:00am EDT

 

The Falcons surprised quite a few people when they traded away Eric Saubert earlier in the preseason. Many fans speculated that this meant the team would roll with Austin Hooper, Luke Stocker and Logan Paulsen. However, one name has stood out in camp and he’s been making a hard push for consideration as the third tight end on the 53-man roster: Jaeden Graham.

So long as his injury against Washington isn’t too serious, Graham has shown he’s already a more reliable receiver than Saubert was in his 2 seasons with the team. On Thursday night, the team put Graham out there with the first team offense. Unfortunately, he also left the game with an injury, and the severity of that injury should determine whether he makes this team.

He played at tight end and fullback after Ricky Ortiz left the game with an injury. This is significant, as it shows the team believes Graham can contribute at this level. The fact that they’re trying him at fullback is a key sign that they want to give him every opportunity to work his way onto the 53-man roster, and with Luke Stocker also mixing in at fullback, it signals that the Falcons may not carry a “true” fullback in 2019.

It’s important to remember that Graham stayed on the team’s practice squad for the entire 2018 season after having a strong preseason as a rookie. He’s shown incredible development in camp and it has transferred to the preseason games as well.

Let’s hope that injury isn’t serious, because Graham is legitimately in contention for a spot on the roster.

[BoomGoesTheDynamite]

Graham has made his case as far as I'm concerned.  

Not sure how he doesn't make the 53 unless his injury is worse than reported.

[Tim Mazetti]

He makes the 53 and the Falcons get a seven for Saubert. Life as a fan is good.

[Califalcon0013]

Guys i believe(hope too) make the team off the top of my head are :

zachusseus(cant spell his name) but dude has heart and skill.

Graham whos caught nearly everything throw to him tough catches and easy one.and showed some at FB.

Matt gono who looks stout on run blocks and technique looks sound this year.and brings versatility along the oline as he can play both guard and tackle on either side.

Brain hill man this guy has improved so much this year on runs and his hands will improve with play time once he settles in.

Q ollison i hope we carry 4 rbs because man this position is stacked but also its one where we could lose a rb to injury mid point in the season

J grace another player that left to another team and returned here with a fire lit under him like brain hill.grace has improved his vision and anticipation to jump routes for an int or make great 1v1 tackles.

Tough tough cuts are coming 

[HASHBROWN3]

2 hours ago, Califalcon0013 said:

Guys i believe(hope too) make the team off the top of my head are :

zachusseus(cant spell his name) but dude has heart and skill.

Graham whos caught nearly everything throw to him tough catches and easy one.and showed some at FB.

Matt gono who looks stout on run blocks and technique looks sound this year.and brings versatility along the oline as he can play both guard and tackle on either side.

Brain hill man this guy has improved so much this year on runs and his hands will improve with play time once he settles in.

Q ollison i hope we carry 4 rbs because man this position is stacked but also its one where we could lose a rb to injury mid point in the season

J grace another player that left to another team and returned here with a fire lit under him like brain hill.grace has improved his vision and anticipation to jump routes for an int or make great 1v1 tackles.

Tough tough cuts are coming 

LOL Hill... just give it a rest already. 

[Atl Falcon]

Hill has flashed and improved tremendously 

Graham is a no brainer..KEEPER!!!

Gono - I’d pencil him in at RT until the rookie comes back

Grace - preseason MVP

Zacz - C Blake has an edge maybe....

[Califalcon0013]

2 hours ago, HASHBROWN3 said:

LOL Hill... just give it a rest already. 

The hate that guy gets.lol

[Falc0n]

 

5 hours ago, Califalcon0013 said:

Guys i believe(hope too) make the team off the top of my head are :

zachusseus(cant spell his name) but dude has heart and skill.

Graham whos caught nearly everything throw to him tough catches and easy one.and showed some at FB.

Matt gono who looks stout on run blocks and technique looks sound this year.and brings versatility along the oline as he can play both guard and tackle on either side.

Brain hill man this guy has improved so much this year on runs and his hands will improve with play time once he settles in.

Q ollison i hope we carry 4 rbs because man this position is stacked but also its one where we could lose a rb to injury mid point in the season

J grace another player that left to another team and returned here with a fire lit under him like brain hill.grace has improved his vision and anticipation to jump routes for an int or make great 1v1 tackles.

Tough tough cuts are coming 

Hard pass on Zaccheaus.  He dropped a couple of passes, fumbled the ball, and was awful on returns.

[red falcon]

No need to keep ortiz. The TE's can fill that roll. **** that's just one more person in ollison's way. There are a lot a guys I want to keep on this roster.

[IamFRESCO1]

54 minutes ago, Atl Falcon said:

Hill has flashed and improved tremendously 

Graham is a no brainer..KEEPER!!!

Gono - I’d pencil him in at RT until the rookie comes back

Grace - preseason MVP

Zacz - C Blake has an edge maybe....

Grace had a great PS last year and didn't make the team.... He has taking to another lvl tho

[Monolith2001]

7 hours ago, Falc0n said:

 

Hard pass on Zaccheaus.  He dropped a couple of passes, fumbled the ball, and was awful on returns.

He has the two muffs that he definitely has to own and "awful on returns" is just a duplicate of the fumble/muffs.  As a WR, dude has been exceptional and the "drops" I remember were all three-ring-circus stuff a lot of receivers would not have even gotten their hands on.  Blocks downfield quite well when I could see him.  I've gone back and rewatched every game twice and Zaccheaus has been really good and would be a good WR6.  I think his lack of special teams value would normally doom him but Marcus Green has been just as bad and has not been able to demonstrate value in any space.  That said, they both may end up on PS or elsewhere with Barner and Blake taking their spots.

[HASHBROWN3]

8 hours ago, Califalcon0013 said:

The hate that guy gets.lol

LOL nobody hates him.  He’s getting propped up by those pretending he’s something other than an average RB.

Hate isn’t part of the equation bro, sober up.

[GeorgiaBoyz]

Grace should have made the team last year but he didn’t because Duke Riley is DQs son . He should be a lock . If we let him go this year then what I think of DQ will be confirmed . 

Graham .. should be a lock . He’s the 2nd best receiving TE on the roster . Him & Hooper could give defenses fits from our run sets with 2 TEs. 

Hill looks good, Ollison looks good .. Freeman is great when healthy & Ito is good . Hopefully we carry 4 .

Gono should be a lock . He looked better than SamBustlo in his first start & has made strides in the offseason . Has lower floor & higher ceiling than Ty. Would rather roll with him , Kaleb & a journeyman than Ty but I know that won’t happen. Gono should be on the 53 though . 

The rest are irrelevant as far as im concerned so I won’t type on them . Hopefully we bring in a vet returner & kicker, these rooks & Italian Ice ain’t it . 

Edited August 24, 2019 by GeorgiaBoyz

[Diggable Birds]

Ive seen more from this guy in 4 preseason games than ive seen from Saubert in 2 years/ He reminds me of Hayden Hurst-I think this guy has a bright future he definitely makes the 53

 

[Monolith2001]

6 hours ago, HASHBROWN3 said:

LOL nobody hates him.  He’s getting propped up by those pretending he’s something other than an average RB.

Hate isn’t part of the equation bro, sober up.

Yeah hate is strong but some guys are so emotionally invested in their opinions that it can look like hate when they show up to swat down even the simple suggestion he could make the 53.  I think he's done fine work all preseason save for that drop but I haven't seen a lot of Hill praise other than his first two games yet the commentary against him continues.  In any event, well all will know in a little over a week who the staff values.  I have and continue to support all three backs as I think we will keep all of them but I know that many others have favorites and have become quite tribal and territorial about it.

[mattyicefalcon]

He has to make final roster. 

[1989Fan]

7 hours ago, Monolith2001 said:

He has the two muffs that he definitely has to own and "awful on returns" is just a duplicate of the fumble/muffs.  As a WR, dude has been exceptional and the "drops" I remember were all three-ring-circus stuff a lot of receivers would not have even gotten their hands on.  Blocks downfield quite well when I could see him.  I've gone back and rewatched every game twice and Zaccheaus has been really good and would be a good WR6.  I think his lack of special teams value would normally doom him but Marcus Green has been just as bad and has not been able to demonstrate value in any space.  That said, they both may end up on PS or elsewhere with Barner and Blake taking their spots.

ST play is a big reason why Blake may get that WR6 spot over OZ

[Monolith2001]

3 minutes ago, 1989Fan said:

ST play is a big reason why Blake may get that WR6 spot over OZ

I like Blake but it is a challenge for me to equate fielding a punt with just running down on coverage.

[spanish_falcon]

If his injury isn't serious (I really hope it is not) he should be in the 53 and active on game days. Has won the battle against Paulsen clearly 

[1989Fan]

1 hour ago, Monolith2001 said:

I like Blake but it is a challenge for me to equate fielding a punt with just running down on coverage.

I agree there’s a big difference...What I am saying is that if Blake is playing well on coverage units and OZ blew his chance at PR, they just may hand the spot to Blake for ST value. 

[OrthoPTSD]

8 hours ago, GeorgiaBoyz said:

Grace should have made the team last year but he didn’t because Duke Riley is DQs son . He should be a lock . If we let him go this year then what I think of DQ will be confirmed . 

Graham .. should be a lock . He’s the 2nd best receiving TE on the roster . Him & Hooper could give defenses fits from our run sets with 2 TEs. 

Hill looks good, Ollison looks good .. Freeman is great when healthy & Ito is good . Hopefully we carry 4 .

Gono should be a lock . He looked better than SamBustlo in his first start & has made strides in the offseason . Has lower floor & higher ceiling than Ty. Would rather roll with him , Kaleb & a journeyman than Ty but I know that won’t happen. Gono should be on the 53 though . 

The rest are irrelevant as far as im concerned so I won’t type on them . Hopefully we bring in a vet returner & kicker, these rooks & Italian Ice ain’t it . 

It would be fantastic if Gono became an unexpected starter, would show improved depth and growth, he sure looks the part

[atlbaby]

18 hours ago, IamFRESCO1 said:

Grace had a great PS last year and didn't make the team.... He has taking to another lvl tho

 

9 hours ago, GeorgiaBoyz said:

Grace should have made the team last year but he didn’t because Duke Riley is DQs son . He should be a lock . If we let him go this year then what I think of DQ will be confirmed . 

Graham .. should be a lock . He’s the 2nd best receiving TE on the roster . Him & Hooper could give defenses fits from our run sets with 2 TEs. 

Hill looks good, Ollison looks good .. Freeman is great when healthy & Ito is good . Hopefully we carry 4 .

Gono should be a lock . He looked better than SamBustlo in his first start & has made strides in the offseason . Has lower floor & higher ceiling than Ty. Would rather roll with him , Kaleb & a journeyman than Ty but I know that won’t happen. Gono should be on the 53 though . 

The rest are irrelevant as far as im concerned so I won’t type on them . Hopefully we bring in a vet returner & kicker, these rooks & Italian Ice ain’t it . 

Just so you know he was not with us until late in the season. He was a Cleveland Brown during mini-camp, training camp and preseason.

 

[HASHBROWN3]

3 hours ago, Monolith2001 said:

Yeah hate is strong but some guys are so emotionally invested in their opinions that it can look like hate when they show up to swat down even the simple suggestion he could make the 53.  I think he's done fine work all preseason save for that drop but I haven't seen a lot of Hill praise other than his first two games yet the commentary against him continues.  In any event, well all will know in a little over a week who the staff values.  I have and continue to support all three backs as I think we will keep all of them but I know that many others have favorites and have become quite tribal and territorial about it.

Good points

[IamFRESCO1]

1 hour ago, atlbaby said:

 

Just so you know he was not with us until late in the season. He was a Cleveland Brown during mini-camp, training camp and preseason.

 

O.... might have been carter

[GeorgiaBoyz]

3 hours ago, atlbaby said:

 

Just so you know he was not with us until late in the season. He was a Cleveland Brown during mini-camp, training camp and preseason.

 

He was a UDFA for us & DQ cut him . What are you talking about ? He looked good in preseason the same year DQ cut him .