Two Falcons Make Strong Case for Roster Spots Against the Tennessee Titans
The Atlanta Falcons need to finalize their 53-man roster by Tuesday, August 27, and two veteran players on the bubble are making strong cases during the preseason. 
Wide receiver Chris Blair and cornerback Natrone Brooks both had standout performances against the Tennessee Titans on Friday, helping their chances of securing a spot on Atlanta’s roster. Despite their efforts, the Falcons lost to the Titans 23-20, but both players made an impact.
Blair scored the Falcons’ only offensive touchdown and accumulated 54 yards on three receptions in the previous week’s preseason game against the Detroit Lions. He followed it up with an even better performance against the Titans, leading both teams with 72 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown catch.
Blair explained his touchdown, saying, “It was a Cover-2 look. The safety didn’t get over in time, and it was pretty much an option route on the sliding. Everyone bit on the option route, which left the deep route open. It was kind of the same play we ran when we threw an interception, so we just came back to it and made the right move.”
Blair has impressed throughout training camp, showing his ability to make plays with the second-team offense. His performance highlighted his deep-threat potential, something that second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. values. With Darnell Mooney’s status for the Week 1 opener uncertain, Blair could be a valuable weapon.
Blair echoed the team’s competitive receiver room mentality, saying, “We take every opportunity and try to make the most of it. There’s a lot of competition in our room with great receivers. The goal is to show coaches you know where to be and that you can make plays.”
Meanwhile, Brooks made his presence felt with an interception against rookie quarterback Cam Ward. He showed solid ball skills, picking off a throw intended for former Falcon Van Jefferson. Brooks has mostly been with the second-team defense in camp, though he’s also rotated in with the starters. On the final day of joint practice with the Titans, he worked with the starting defense and even broke up a pass from Ward.
Brooks has consistently been around the ball, breaking up passes to Drake London and getting an interception during both camp and preseason action. He shared his approach to camp, saying, “You know when you’re having good days. The key is consistency. Anybody can have a good day, but having consistent good days shows you’re having a good camp. That’s what I focus on.”
Both Blair and Brooks made strong pushes for roster spots with their performances in the second preseason game. The Falcons will face the Dallas Cowboys in their final preseason game on Friday, August 22, before final roster cuts are due on Tuesday, August 27 at 4 p.m. EST.
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