FLOWERY BRANCH —The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to terms with fullback Keith Smith, adding him to the 53-man roster. The club also signed wide receiver Brandon Powell and safety Jamal Carter to the practice squad. The Falcons also waived fullback Ricky Ortiz with an injury settlement.
Smith was originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent linebacker in 2014. At the end of the 2015 season, the San Jose State alum was being converted into a fullback based on his work with the scout team. He earned the starting position for the Cowboys for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Smith was signed by the Oakland Raiders on March 15, 2018 as a restricted free agent. In three seasons as a fullback, Smith has rushed three times for five yards and caught 13 receptions for 69 yards.
Powell was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent on May 11, 2018. Last season, he played in six games totaling 11 receptions for 129 yards. Powell played four years at University of Florida, playing 49 games while totaling 131 receptions for 1,330 yards, including nine receiving touchdowns. He also added 41 carries for 122 yards, including two rushing touchdowns.
Carter was originally signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent on May 11, 2017. He saw playing time in all 16 regular season games in 2017, totaling eight tackles and one pass defensed, and spent the 2018 season on injured reserve. Carter played four years at University of Miami, playing in 50 games totaling 165 tackles, one forced fumble and two interceptions.
