The wide receiver joined the Falcons in 2024 and started 14 games for Atlanta.
Terrin Waack
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. The Atlanta Falcons released wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III on Tuesday.
The team also signed offensive lineman Raiqwon O'Neal to the practice squad and placed offensive lineman Ryan Hayes on the practice squad's injured reserve.
McCloud signed with the Falcons asa free agent in 2024. He started in 14 games and appeared in 21 of a possible 23 games since he joined the team.
The two games McCloud missed were the Falcons' latest two. He was a healthy scratch in the Falcons' Week 6 win against the Buffalo Bills and Week 7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris was asked Monday whether there was any update on McCloud's status.
"None yet," Morris said. "Obviously, going through that process right now, talking with him. But that's the distraction that I'm dealing with, no one else."
A decision was made to part ways the next day.
In the Falcons' first four games, McCloud recorded six receptions for 64 yards. He also returned two kicks and four punts on special teams.
The first indication something was going on with the Falcons and McCloud was when he was a healthy inactive in Week 6. He had not been on the injury report leading up to the game.
"Coaching decision on Ray-Ray tonight, just like everybody else, anybody that you put down that's not active," Morris said postgame. "Decided to put him down tonight. He'll be back out competing next week. We'll see where we go. We had everybody we needed. We got everybody we wanted tonight, and we got out there and got a big win."
McCloud did not practice at all in Week 7.
"I wouldn't say it is a disciplinary thing," Morris said last Friday. "More a football thing with something we have to get straightened out."
The Falcons released wide receivers coach Ike Hilliardback on Sept. 22after the Falcons were shut out by the Carolina Panthers in Week 3. McCloud and Hilliard worked together at the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2020-21. Hilliard then coached at the collegiate level; McCloud went to the San Francisco 49ers. Both joined the Falcons in 2024.
Given that history, Morris was asked whether McCloud's recent absences had anything to do with Hilliard's departure.
"Not related at all," Morris said. "This is between Ray-Ray, the organization and us."
The Falcons' wide receiver room still features starters Drake London and Darnell Mooney. Casey Washington recently stepped up in a starting role as the Falcons kept McCloud sidelined and Mooney recovered from a hamstring injury. Atlanta also has Jamal Agnew, KhaDarel Hodge and David Sills V on its 53-man roster.
On Sunday, the Falcons (3-3) host the Miami Dolphins (1-6) inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff in Week 8.
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