標籤: Falcons

There’s an old saying in football that if you have two quarterbacks, you really don’t have anyone. The theory is that having two starting-caliber QBs causes drama, friction and divides the locker room. The Atlanta Falcons are out to prove that old adage wrong.

This offseason, we saw Falcons team president Matt Ryan sign former Pro Bowl quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. It was a noteworthy move, considering that the team selected Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.

However, Penix has made only 12 starts combined over the past two seasons, and is now working towards a return from a torn ACL on November 16, 2025. Along with Tagovailoa and Penix, both plan to compete for the opportunity to start at QB for new Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski.

With Falcons OTAs underway, we now know how the team is divvying up first-team reps.

according to athleticFalcons insider Josh Kendall plans to split first-team reps in OTAs for Tagovailoa and Penix. Still, Penix isn’t quite ready to start the teamwork yet, but he’s busy bowling on the field, where he “looks good” according to Kendall.

Stefanski says the composition of the team’s delegates “is all very intentional.” The Falcons have more than four months to find out, with their first regular season game scheduled for September 13 against Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers’ Pittsburgh Steelers.

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We know the Atlanta Falcons have a new head coach. Depending on Michael Penix Jr.’s ACL recovery, the Falcons could have a new starting quarterback with Tua Tagovailoa ready to prove his worth as a Pro Bowl talent.

But there are other questions too. As for whether the Falcons have enough strong receivers to complement Drake London and Kyle Pitts.

There are free agent signees Olamide Zaccheus and Jahan Dotson, as well as rookie third-round pick Zachariah Branch. Still, Zaccheus and Dotson have never recorded more than 550 yards in a season, and Branch is also clearly unproven.

Thus, it’s not unreasonable to think that the Falcons could add a receiver with a proven track record, and there are still some former All-Pro and Pro Bowl players available.

recently, Sports IllustratedAlbert Breer of the NFL suggested the Falcons could be an eventual landing spot for free agent Stefon Diggs.

There isn’t a lot of money available in free agency at this stage. But Diggs won’t receive anything close to the $96 million contract he once had in Buffalo. Still, we may see the market for Diggs heating up now that signed players will not impact the team’s compensatory selection formula.

The recently concluded NFL Draft also helps, giving teams a better idea of ​​their remaining needs and what type of role a veteran can fill. In Atlanta, the role is quite clear; He will be the starting receiver in front of London, while also helping draw attention away from Pitts.

The question is how many other teams are eyeing Diggs for a similar role, and whether the Falcons have a situation that will last. Also, the Falcons may have the upper hand, with head coach Kevin Stefanski spending the first five seasons of Diggs’ career as a member of the Minnesota Vikings’ coaching staff.

Ultimately, the Falcons appear to have a lot working in their favor when it comes to bringing Diggs on board, but there has been no official movement linking him to Atlanta. As yet.

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On Wednesday, the Atlanta Falcons suddenly felt a need when their starting right tackle Caleb McGary announced his retirement. He was the team’s first-round pick in 2019 and has started all six seasons of his career. Yet, after missing the entire 2025 season due to a serious foot injury, McGarry felt it was time to retire at the age of 31.

Even though he did not play last season, his sudden departure left the Falcons with a significant hole at right tackle. While the news of McGary’s retirement came as a surprise to outsiders, it is clearly something the Falcons have known about for some time.

On Wednesday, less than an hour after McGary’s retirement became public, the Falcons already lined up his replacement.

According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Falcons have signed right tackle Jawan Taylor to a one-year contract with a base price of $5 million. He could also earn an additional million through contract incentives.

While Taylor is projected to replace McGary in the Falcons’ starting lineup, he signed a fraction of his previous four-year, $80 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Still just 28 years old, the Falcons are adding a player who has started all 111 of his appearances in the NFL, including the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win in 2023. More importantly, Atlanta no longer has an urgent need to fill in the 2026 NFL Draft, where they only have five selections and none in the first round.

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The Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback room may already be set. First, they signed left-handed QB Tua Tagovailoa. The former Pro Bowler is expected to either start until fellow lefty Michael Penix Jr. makes a full recovery from his torn ACL, or possibly completely replace the 2024 first-round pick. While it’s clear who Atlanta’s top two quarterbacks are, now another arm has joined the fray.

On Tuesday, the Falcons signed 34-year-old backup QB Trevor Siemian. He will undoubtedly be the Falcons’ third-line QB behind Tagovailoa and Penix.

Siemian was the 250th selection in the 2015 NFL Draft. Considering that 249 players were selected before him, the seventh-round selection has had a good career.

After winning the Super Bowl as a rookie on Peyton Manning’s Broncos, Siemian has made 40 appearances and 33 starts. He has appeared in one game for seven different teams. Still, the Falcons are the 10th team Siemian has signed with.

However, he reunited in Atlanta with Kevin Stefanski, with whom he worked on the Vikings in 2018. Even though it’s been a long time, Siemian should have a very short learning curve when it comes to mastering the offense. With only five selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Falcons have already finalized their QB room, but there’s always a possibility they’ll add another camp arm as Penix continues his rehab.

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The Atlanta Falcons will have a new head coach next season. They may also have a new quarterback.

Michael Penix Jr., the eighth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, is still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered on Nov. 16. He may not be ready for the start of the season.

Either way, the Falcons are making other plans at the QB position after recently moving on from Kirk Cousins, who is set for free agency again. With Cousins ​​gone, the Falcons need more depth at the position, and new head coach Kevin Stefanski may also have a say in the matter.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Falcons are “making a push” to sign recently released Tua Tagovailoa.

The Dolphins are still paying Tagovailoa $54 million in 2026, so they are expected to sign the veteran for a minimum of $1.3 million. It’s an incredible deal for him, whether he gets any starts or not.

Still, the Falcons can have confidence in Tagovailoa returning as a Pro Bowl QB under Coach Stefanski. At least, the 28-year-old brings 76 games of starting experience to Atlanta, where Penix has only 12 starts.

Additionally, Penix and Tagovailoa are both left-handed quarterbacks, which should make for an easier transition for receivers to catch passes moving in a different direction.

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Ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, many analysts expected the Atlanta Falcons to improve on the pass-rusher with the eighth overall pick in the first round. Despite signing Kirk Cousins ​​to a four-year, $180 million contract a month earlier, they surprised everyone by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. instead.

After two seasons, the Falcons have already decided to release Cousins, ending his Atlanta tenure with a 12–10 record. Meanwhile, Penix has yet to establish himself as a franchise QB. Penix, who turns 26 in May, still has two more years left on his rookie contract. He initially led the Falcons to a 4–8 record.

Now, as we approach the player transaction phase, the Falcons are being linked to another high-profile quarterback.

Recently, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler had the opportunity to travel to Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine. In doing so, he raised several interesting points.

One thing Fowler reported was that an unnamed NFL head coach told him, unsolicited, “Be careful of Tua (Tagovailoa) in Atlanta.”

The Falcons do not have many strong or specific coaching relationships with Tagovailoa. However, coach Kevin Stefanski hired Robert Prince as his wide receivers coach, and Prince spent the 2025 season in the same role with the Miami Dolphins.

Or maybe the Falcons are interested in the idea of ​​bringing in a former Pro Bowl QB to compete and inspire Penix to maximize his potential. Stock is low on Tagovailoa, who signed a four-year, $212 million contract with the Dolphins through 2024. They’ve already guaranteed $54 million in 2026; The question is whether he will earn that money as a member of the Dolphins, Falcons or another team.

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For the past two seasons, Kyle Pitts and the rest of the Atlanta Falcons have been coached by Raheem Morris. After consecutive 8–9 seasons that ended without a playoff appearance, the Falcons have moved in a different direction.

They no longer have a defensive-minded head coach. Now, they hire two-time Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski, who brings an offensive background. Could this make a difference for Pitts, the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft?

Pitts is about to become a free agent for the first time in his career, but it looks like the Falcons aren’t going to let their Pro Bowl running back go by without getting something in return.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Falcons are now planning to place the franchise tag on Pitts this offseason. If so, that means he will receive a salary of more than $15 million. However, as Rapoport notes, the Falcons hope to still work out a long-term contract extension with Pitts rather than carry him for another season.

The 25-year-old is coming off one of his best seasons, in which he recorded 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns. The hope is that he can not only match, but exceed those stats while playing in Coach Stefanski’s offense. Still, many other teams are envisioning big numbers for Pitts if he also joins their offense.

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Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ