The Falcons' final roster is set for the season opener on Sept. 9 at Kansas City. The team cut 21 players on Friday and added S Shann Schillinger to the injured-reserve list. All of the team’s 2012 draft picks made the team as well as rookie QB Dominique Davis, who was listed as the backup quarterback to Matt Ryan. The Falcons’ fifth-round pick, FB Bradie Ewing, tore his ACL and was added to the injured reserve list this preseason.
Ewing’s injury paved the way for the biggest surprise on the final roster: FB Lousaka Polite. Polite was signed during the preseason but outplayed fifth-year fullback Mike Cox and ultimately won the job as Michael Turner’s lead blocker. The seventh-year veteran out of Pittsburgh had three catches for 14 yards and a touchdown this preseason.
QB (3) -- Matt Ryan (5th year, Boston College), Dominique Davis (rookie, Eastern Carolina, Luke McCown (9th year, Louisiana Tech).
RB (4) -- Michael Turner (9th year, Northern Illinois), Jason Snelling (6th year, Virginia), Jacquizz Rodgers (2nd year, Oregon State), Antone Smith (4th year, Florida State).
FB (1) -- Lousaka Polite (7th year, Pittsburgh).
WR (5) -- Roddy White (8th year, Alabama-Birmingham), Julio Jones (2nd year, Alabama), Harry Douglas (5th year, Louisville), Kevin Cone (2nd year, Georgia Tech), Tim Toone (3rd year, Weber State).
OL (10) -- Sam Baker (5th year, USC), Justin Blalock (6th year, Texas), Todd McClure (14 year, LSU), Garrett Reynolds (4th year, North Carolina) Tyson Clabo (9th year, Wake Forest), Lamar Holmes (rookie, Southern Miss.), Phillipkeith Manley (rookie, Toledo), Joe Hawley (3rd year, UNLV), Peter Konz (rookie, Wisconsin), Mike Johnson (3rd year, Alabama).
TE (3) -- Tony Gonzalez (16th year, California), Michael Palmer (3rd year, Clemson), Tommy Gallarda (2nd year, Boise State).
DL (10) -- Ray Edwards (7th year, Purdue), Jonathan Babineaux (8th year, Iowa), Peria Jerry (4th year, Mississippi), John Abraham (13th year, South Carolina), Kroy Biermann (5th year, Montana), Vance Walker (4th year, Georgia Tech), Lawrence Sidbury (4th year, Richmond), Jonathan Massaquoi (rookie, Troy), Travian Robertson (rookie, South Carolina), Cliff Matthews (2nd year, South Carolina).
LB (5) -- Sean Weatherspoon (3rd year, Missouri), Akeem Dent (2nd year, Georgia), Stephen Nicholas (6th year, South Florida), Mike Peterson (14th year, Florida), Robert James (4thyear, Arizona State).
CB/ S (9)-- Dunta Robinson (9th year, South Carolina), Brent Grimes (6th year, Shippensburg), William Moore (4th year, Missouri), Thomas DeCoud (5th year, California), Asante Samuel (10th year, Central Florida), Robert McClain (3rd year, Connecticut), Chris Hope (11th year, Florida State), Chris Owens (4th year, San Jose State), Charles Mitchell (rookie, Mississippi State).
Special teams (3) -- Matt Bryant (11th year, Baylor), Matt Bosher (2nd year, Miami), Josh Harris (rookie, Auburn)
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