The Falcons started trimming their roster on Friday to get from 75 to the maximum 53 players by Saturday's 4 p.m. EDT deadline and kicker Shayne Graham was the most significant early cut.
The Falcons signed Graham when incumbent Matt Bryant was out with an injury during training camp. The team apparently is satisfied with Bryant's health after he practiced this week and made a 27-yard field goal and two point-after attempts during Thursday's exhibition finale.
Bryant, 41, enters his eighth season as Falcons kicker. He missed six games last season because of injury and the Falcons signed Graham to take his place. In 2015 Bryant was 14-for-18 on field-goal tries (77.8 percent), his lowest percentage of makes in his six full seasons with the Falcons and the second-worst of his 14 NFL seasons.
The Falcons signed Bryant to a contract extension before last season that will pay him $1.5 million this season. The team paid Bryant a $400,000 roster bonus in March.
The Falcons also released defensive end Malliciah Goodman, their fourth-round pick in the 2013 draft out of Clemson. The Falcons hoped Goodman could develop into a pass rusher after he had seven sacks as a college senior but he's recorded no sacks in 28 NFL games.
The Falcons released nine other players Friday: tackle Bryce Harris, defensive end Nordly Capi, tackle Laurence Gibson, defensive tackle Cory Johnson, cornerback Devonte Johnson, safety Damian Parms, offensive lineman Collin Rahrig, wide receiver Corey Washington and linebacker Matt Wells.
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