The Atlanta Falcons officially placed running back Avery Williams on the reserve/injured list Friday. That opened up the Falcons to add a new player to their roster.
They elected to sign three. The Falcons announced on June 16 that they signed wide receiver Chris Blair, defensive lineman Albert Huggins and kicker Matthew Trickett.
To make room for all three players, the Falcons also released quarterback Austin Aune and wide receiver Justin Marshall.
Atlanta announced the signing of Blair, Huggins and Trickett after inviting them in a group of seven players to the team’s minicamp on a tryout basis.
Blair spent time with the Green Bay Packers during 2021 training camp and early in the offseason during 2022. In the XFL, he recorded 26 receptions for 594 yards and 3 touchdowns with the D.C. Defenders this past spring.
Huggins has appeared in one season for the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints during his NFL career. The Saints placed him on injured reserve in August last year. He didn’t play a game in 2022.
Trickett went undrafted out of Minnesota this spring. With the Golden Gophers, he made All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2022.
The Falcons placed Williams on injured reserve a little more than a week after the kick returner tore an ACL. Head coach Arthur Smith said Williams is “likely done for the year.”
Atlanta released Aune exactly a month after signing him. The former Tulane quarterback is trying to make the NFL as a 29-year-old signal caller. Before college, he spent six seasons in minor league baseball playing in the New York Yankees farm system.
The Falcons signed Marshall as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 NFL draft. He posted 64 receptions for 837 yards and 9 touchdowns at Louisville in 2022.
