The Falcons are making a quarterback move for protection, not panic.
With Michael Penix Jr. dealing with rib soreness after getting injured in Week 5 and spending time in the medical tent in Week 6, Atlanta is reportedly signing Andy Dalton, according to Adam Schefter. The team is also releasing Cooper Rush in a corresponding move, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, which would put Dalton in line to serve as the emergency third quarterback on game days and possibly compete for the backup job.
That doesn’t necessarily mean Penix is headed for missed time. The source of the move sounds more like caution than alarm. But with Penix only 16 starts into his career and returning from a torn ACL, the Falcons clearly don’t want to find themselves thin if anything worsens.
Dalton brings exactly what Atlanta wants in this spot: experience. The 38-year-old has been around long enough to give the quarterback room some insulation, and he’s also a far better option than Rush. He could also be a useful veteran presence for Penix, who has finally looked like a former top-10 pick this season.
Dalton’s 2026 started in Philadelphia, where he spent the season with the Eagles and briefly filled in for Jalen Hurts on Monday Night Football against the Bears. On that short field, he attempted one pass and threw an ugly interception in the end zone.
Nine days later, the Eagles cut him. They reportedly asked him to return, but he declined, so this wasn’t a case of opportunities drying up. Dalton’s career has been built on moving from place to place, with backup stops in Dallas, Chicago, New Orleans, and Carolina after leaving Cincinnati.
He has started 36 games over the last six seasons and has 169 career starts overall. For a Falcons team that started 0-2 with Tua Tagovailoa, Cooper Rush, and Jack Strand at quarterback, adding another seasoned arm makes sense. And with Penix currently nicked up, even if the issue isn’t considered severe, Atlanta is clearly trying to stay ahead of any problem before it grows.
In Other News...
Falcons Have A Bigger Michael Penix Jr. Problem Than Fans Realize
Michael Penix Jr. has given the Falcons enough reason to believe they may have something at quarterback. In four starts this season, he has looked poised enough to keep the offense moving, with deep passing and play-action becoming real strengths as Atlanta has leaned into what he does best. The early returns have been encouraging enough that the conversation around him is no longer just about upside, but about how quickly the rest of the operation can catch up.
The problem is the support system around him still looks fragile, especially up front. Atlantas offensive line has struggled to hold up against pressure, and the issues at tackle have made the protection picture even murkier. For a young quarterback showing promise, that matters because the development arc is only as stable as the time he gets to throw, and right now the Falcons still have work to do before Penix can be evaluated in something closer to ideal conditions. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Face A Linebacker Problem They Cant Ignore
The Falcons roster shuffle this week was about more than just a change at quarterback. While Atlanta signed Andy Dalton and moved on from Cooper Rush, the bigger immediate concern was on defense, where the team also dipped into the market for help by adding edge rusher Charles Snowden from the Washington Commanders practice squad and bringing linebacker TJ Quinn onto its practice squad.
Quinn, an undrafted free agent who previously spent time with the Green Bay Packers, gives Atlanta another body at linebacker as injuries have thinned that group. Divine Deablo is among the players the Falcons are trying to cover for, and Kendal Daniels is dealing with a situation that has left his availability very much up in the air, forcing the team to keep patching the position while it waits for more clarity. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Fans Suddenly Have A Jessie Bates Trade Deadline Worry
With Atlanta sitting at 2-4 heading into Week 7, the Falcons are already navigating a season that feels like it could swing quickly in either direction. The schedule ahead is not doing them many favors, and even before the trade deadline enters the picture, the teams margin for error is thin enough that every result seems to carry extra weight.
Against that backdrop, one of the more jarring names to surface in deadline conversation is Jessie Bates III. The Pro Bowl safety has been a cornerstone for Atlanta, but his status has suddenly become part of the bigger question around the teams direction if the losses keep piling up and playoff hopes fade. Because he is under contract through 2026, any move involving Bates would also force the Falcons to weigh whether they can realistically line up an extension before deciding what comes next. [Read more 🡒]