ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons open the 2023 NFL regular season against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 10 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Coach Arthur Smith said multiple times this offseason he wanted to create an environment in which the 53-man roster would be difficult to make. Based on camp, he accomplished that goal.
"The league is so much more transactional. Practice squads are bigger, so there's more job opportunities. Then, you have the standard elevations," Smith said. "So it's just so different. Certainly, there's the initial shock for some guys. Nobody ever wants to be rejected, whether you even bring them back on the practice squad.