West Atlanta News

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — With the 2024 season on the horizon, the Falcons held a full-team scrimmage for nearly the entirety of Wednesday's practice, the second-to-last of the preseason.

Generally, training camp coverage tends to focus on two groups of players: the stars every fan knows and cares about, and those who find themselves locked in a position battle with a job on the line. However, outcomes on Sundays are largely dependent on a third group of players, those who play key roles but get lost in the shuffle.

They weren't lost on Wednesday, though. "The best thing I saw during the scrimmage were players like Charlie Woerner and Eddie Goldman making the types of impact plays that lead to wins," said an observer. The Falcons need a good start, given how early their division slate falls in the schedule, and this practice provided reasons to believe the supporting cast is locked in.

Several players stood out during this scrimmage:

Troy Andersen

Andersen is probably closer to being a core player than a support player but remains somewhat unknown on Sundays. If he performs as he did on Wednesday – or for much of preseason practices – Andersen will be known around the league soon.

With Kaden Elliss sidelined due to a groin injury and Nate Landman sitting out with a quad injury, Andersen saw significant action with the starting defense. His speed was immediately noticeable, both mentally and physically. Andersen was often in the right spot and usually arrived first.

Elliss and Landman were strong at inside linebacker last season, but Andersen's sideline-to-sideline range feels superior. The last player who could cover as much ground as Andersen was Deion Jones. Observers are eager to see how this element looks in this defense.

Eddie Goldman

As the biggest player on the defensive line, Goldman fills an important niche for the Falcons. His size made life difficult for Atlanta's second-team offensive line at times. The 6-foot-3, 325-pound defensive tackle clogged up holes in the run game and also split double teams effectively.

Even a solid season from Goldman — assuming he is on the team’s 53-man roster — would likely benefit Atlanta's defense significantly. He eats up space, which should help players like Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata as well as improve overall run defense.

After a couple years away from football, it was encouraging to see Goldman stand out on Wednesday.

Charlie Woerner

Every moment spent watching Woerner during the scrimmage was engaging. Whether executing a lead block through the B gap or celebrating after helping spring a first-down run, Woerner played with evident joy.

The assumption is that Woerner will primarily serve as a blocking tight end for this offense. However, his athleticism suggests he could contribute as a receiver if defenses overlook him. Although he has only 11 career receptions for 120 yards, Woerner might be part of Atlanta's strategic plans for crucial moments.

Darnell Mooney

Mooney rebounded from tough practices last week with an impressive performance on Wednesday. He frequently connected with Cousins, developing good chemistry with his new quarterback. Mooney resembles Taylor Gabriel or Olamide Zaccheaus – types of players not featured by Atlanta recently – potentially filling a missing piece in their offense.

The former Chicago Bear caught five passes during the scrimmage according to Terrin Waack’s camp report count and had a well-designed jet sweep during a red zone period. While London's strengths are known and Kyle Pitts' mismatches are established factors, Mooney's role remains uncertain but promising within this offense.