Easton Stick played well enough this preseason to make the Atlanta Falcons' 53-man roster.
He has started in the NFL before, four times in the 2023 season for the Los Angeles Chargers. He might not be the best backup in the league, but he's got talent.
That wasn't enough to end up on the Falcons' roster, though. Stick was released on Tuesday as part of the NFL's roster cutdown day, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
And in reality, the move has very little to do with Stick.
His release stems from Kirk Cousins.
MORE: Shedeur Sanders gives a sassy answer about the possibility of being cut
The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in the 2024 offseason, then went and drafted Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall to be their QB of the future.
Cousins couldn't even hold the starting job for a full season as his league-worst 16 interceptions got Penix a chance late in the 2024 campaign.
The Falcons couldn't find a way to move on from Cousins this offseason, and cutting him now doesn't make much sense. He and the Falcons will have to settle for him being the highest-paid backup in the league.
MORE: Micah Parsons and the Cowboys get an NFC East nudge from Terry McLaurin
That left Stick as the only option if Atlanta wanted to fill in its roster elsewhere and keep just two quarterbacks.
Stick, the one-time North Dakota State star, will surely find another chance. He's proven he belongs on a QB depth chart somewhere in the NFL.
It won't be in Atlanta, though, and that's through no fault of his own.
MORE NFL NEWS:
- Terrell Owens' son makes case for NFL roster spot with NFC team
- Frank Gore Jr. had a unique preseason in attempt to make roster
- Bills' tight end had a wild night that included punting and an ejection
- Kyle Pitts is facing a massive question for the Falcons
- Jets cut son of an ESPN analyst
- The CFL could welcome Shilo and Shedeur Sanders