Jason Elam

Matt Bryant, who was signed late last season, has won Atlanta's kicking competition. Falcons coach Mike Smith announced the news after Sunday's second practice.

"We went ahead and made that move today," Smith said.

The Falcons released kicker Steven Hauschka and tight end Colin Peek between practices.

"This is year nine for me and I still try to go out there just like I did when I was a rookie," Bryant said. "Do good today so I can come back tomorrow."

Hauschka and Bryant missed field goals in the exhibition season opener against Kansas City. Hauschka missed a 53-yarder and Bryant missed a 50-yarder, but it had plenty of distance, but sailed wide right.

"I crushed it," Bryant said. "I thought I hit it pretty well. It was one of those deals where it made a, for some reason, a goofy right turn on me and it straightened out again. I hit maybe one of those every 100 balls. It was not a normal ball flight."

Bryant was signed on Dec. 1 after Jason Elam was released.

Bryant probably won't be a fantasy star, but given Atlanta's decent offense, he could be useful to fantasy teams.