France’s Anthony Dable impressing Atlanta Falcons?

| American Football | 08/08/2017

French American football player Anthony Dable is in the middle of his second NFL training camp – with the Atlanta Falcons – in two years. He attended training camp with the New York Giants in 2016 but was released just before the regular season started. He had a tryout with the New England Patriots before being signed by the Falcons earlier this year.

With four preseason games looming, Dable finds himself one of 13 wide receivers in the Falcons training camp. And the competition is fierce.

According to Dave Choate of Falcoholic.com, Dable is doing a good job in his battle for a spot on the Falcons roster, although practice squad is more realistic at this point.

“Dable is someone I like a great deal, and he’s had some very impressive plays at camp thus far. I did pick him to make the team as a sixth receiver in the spring, but it’s an uphill battle given the number of players competing. Unless he can really stand out in preseason, I imagine he’ll be a strong possibility for the practice squad, given his size and speed.”

The Falcons currently have 91 players on the roster and will have to trim it to 53 by Sept. 2. This marks the first year teams are allowed to keep a full 90-man roster through all four preseason games.

Based on the most current Atlanta Falcons depth chart,Dable is in a pitched battle.

NFL practice squads

Making the final 53 man roster would be a dream for an international player such as Dable. The practice squad is more likely.
All around the NFL, teams will have to trim their rosters to the mandatory 53-man limit before the league’s deadline on Sept. 2. Beginning Sept. 3 , teams can start assembling practice squads, groups of 10 players who practice with the team throughout the week but are not eligible to be active on game days.
Many times, teams use practice squads to keep players who have potential but need development. It gives teams an opportunity to invest in players in a low-cost (by NFL standards) and low-risk way. It also provides teams with a stash of backup players who are familiar with the scheme and system, which is helpful in the event of injury.

The NFL tweaked its rules for practice squad eligibility in 2016. In 2014, the NFL and NFLPA agreed to a rule that expanded the practice squad roster limits from eight to 10 players. The rule expired prior to the 2016 league year, but it has been renewed. In addition, last year teams could have two of the 10 practice squad spots filled by players who had two or more years of experience on an NFL roster. This year, that number has been increased to four players.

Dable a star in Europe

The 6’5″, 215 lb, 27-year-old Dablé enjoyed a superb season in 2015, winning his second straight German Bowl with the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions, the Eurobowl, all while also helping France to a fourth place finish in the IFAF World Championships.

Dablé had signed with France’s Aix-en-Provence Argonautes for the 2016 season where he had intended to continue his education at the University of Provence. However, the interest from the New York Giants and now other NFL teams has put those plans on hold for now.

Widely considered one of the most dangerous receivers and returners in Europe, Dablé had returned to his native France after spending the past three seasons in the German top league with the Lions and also one season with the Berlin Rebels (2013). Prior to that, Dable played for three years with Grenoble Centaures of the French league.

Roger Kelly is an editor and a writer for AFI. A former PR Director the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League for 7 years, he now lives in Sweden writing about and scouting American Football throughout the world.