FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons signed kicker Zane Gonzalez and released defensive lineman Ta'Quon Graham, the team announced Wednesday.
NFL Network's Mike Garafolo first reported the Gonzalez signing Tuesday after the veteran went through a workout at the team's practice facility. The Falcons' previous kicker, Parker Romo, was released that same day.
Gonzalez comes to Atlanta with six seasons of playing experience. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. He has kicked for four different teams in 69 career games. His most recent stop was the Washington Commanders in 2024, when he made five of his seven field-goal attempts – or 71% — in six games. His longest was a 48-yarder.
Overall, Gonzalez has made 96 of his 120 field-goal attempts. That's good for an 80% career success rate. His career-long stands at 57 yards from 2021 with the Carolina Panthers.
Gonzalez has also made 146 of his 153 (95%) career extra points. He was a perfect 19 for 19 last season.
The Falcons originally signed Romo to their practice squad on Sept. 9 after season-to-season performance struggles from longtime kicker Younghoe Koo, including a missed game-tying, 44-yard field goal in Atlanta's Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ten days later — and after a Week 2 performance in which Romo went 5-for-5 on field goals to beat the Minnesota Vikings — the Falcons released Koo and signed Romo to the active roster.
In seven games for the Falcons, Romo made 11 of his 14 (79%) field goals and 12 of his 13 (92%) extra points. That sole extra-point miss came last Sunday in the Falcons' Week 9 loss to the New England Patriots. Had Romo made that kick, the Falcons would have tied the Patriots, 24-24, in the fourth quarter. Instead, the Falcons lost, 24-23.
"Obviously, we've got to look at that, and we've started that process already," Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said Monday. "We've worked out a bunch of different people, so we better bring people in and figure out what it's going to be this week. At the end of the day, you've got to make that kick. Like we talked about, those pressure situations aren't built on practice fields, they're built in games, and they're built in that environment."
The Falcons otherwise only have kicker Lenny Krieg on their practice squad. Ben Sauls was released from it Tuesday.
Graham, meanwhile, has been released from the active roster after appearing in two games for the Falcons this season. He made four tackles, one of which was for a loss, in the Falcons' Week 7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He didn't record any stats in the Falcons' Week 8 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
Graham spent the first six weeks on injured reserve due to a calf injury he sustained during training camp. He was activated right before the 49ers game.
The Falcons originally drafted Graham with a fifth-round pick in 2021. Between then and now, he appeared in 51 games, starting 16.
