The Atlanta Falcons‘ competitors for his or her beginning quarterback job between free-agency signing Tua Tagovailoa and 2024 first-round draft choose Michael Penix Jr. is a battle in identify solely, as Penix nonetheless hasn’t been totally medically cleared after he wanted surgical procedure final fall to repair {a partially} torn ACL.
On Wednesday, Penix spoke truthfully about the place he can be on the depth chart if the 2026 NFL season began this coming weekend.
Michael Penix Jr. is aware of he cannot give attention to presumably successful the Falcons’ beginning job
“I can’t fear a few beginning job till I’m nervous about getting again on the sector,” Penix admitted, per Myles Simmons of Professional Soccer Speak. “If I can’t be on the sector, how am I going to be the starter? That’s all my focus is correct now — simply attempting to get again and get wholesome in order that each time that point comes, then we will speak about the entire starter factor, however that’s not my focus proper now.”
Tagovailoa spent springtime exercises serving because the Falcons’ short-term QB1 as he and his teammates realized the offense being put in by first-year Atlanta head coach Kevin Stefanski. Whereas Tagovailoa had been coping with a decent again, he indicated this week that subject will not maintain him from enjoying within the Falcons’ preseason opener versus the Denver Broncos on Aug. 14.
“I’m simply getting stronger and getting extra assured in my knee and every thing,” Penix continued. “My physique has been feeling actually good. I’m hitting all my weight targets and ensuring I’m taking my weight-reduction plan critically. I’m doing every thing I can to assist my knee get higher sooner. I’m positively higher than the place I used to be final week.”
When may Michael Penix Jr. be totally cleared?
It was beforehand recommended that Penix could not be fully cleared till later in August. Nevertheless, he insisted on Wednesday that he may very well be cleared “any day.”
That stated, it would not sound like “any day” will come earlier than the second weekend of August wraps up.
“I’m not likely chasing a timeline,” Penix added. “I’m simply chasing attempting to be higher every single day. Every day I get on the market, I sit up for being higher than I used to be the day earlier than. That comes with clearly simply the reps, time on activity, and in addition simply what I’m doing within the rehab and the remedy room as nicely, so I can get to the place I need to be.”
Additionally on Wednesday, Falcons reporter Marc Raimondi of ESPN famous that “it is truthful to say Tagovailoa would be the crew’s Week 1 starter except one thing main modifications” between now and the membership’s regular-season opener on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 13. Penix would not seem near forcing any sort of “main” change relating to Atlanta’s QB competitors this summer time.
