The Falcons have spent years searching for the right answer at quarterback, and the latest move only sharpens the debate. After another stretch of instability under center, Atlanta has turned from Kirk Cousins to Tua Tagovailoa, betting that a new coaching staff and a fresh start can unlock a better version of the offense.
That choice comes with obvious risk. Cousins brought the safer résumé and the longer body of work, while Tagovailoa arrives with more uncertainty but also more upside. For a team that has not found a true successor to Matt Ryan and has been stuck in a near decade-long playoff drought, the decision feels like the kind that could shape everything that comes next.
Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick didn’t exactly stamp the move as a win for Atlanta. In their ranking of the NFL’s top 32 quarterbacks, Cousins landed at No. 27 and Tagovailoa followed right behind at No.
- That puts the Falcons in the awkward spot of swapping one low-end veteran for another, at least on paper.
The numbers behind the ranking tell the story. Cousins posted a 75 grade last season during his half-season run as Atlanta’s starter, which ranked 14th out of 43 qualifiers.
Tagovailoa’s recent stretch has been far shakier, with a 67.9 grade over his past two seasons that placed him 31st among 33 qualifiers. He has also played one complete season in six years, which only adds to the concern.
Still, there’s a reason the Falcons made the leap. Wasserman and Chadwick also pointed out that Tagovailoa ranked fourth in PFF WAR from 2022 to 2023, and his best work came when he was distributing the ball to playmakers like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. His efficiency has flashed before, even if the last two seasons in Miami were rough and surrounded by questions about whether Mike McDaniels’ offense had stopped working.
Atlanta is banking on the idea that the change of scenery matters. Stefanski’s group is hoping Tagovailoa can rediscover the form that once made him one of the league’s most productive passers. The former first-round pick has led the NFL in passer rating in 2022, passing yards in 2023 and completion percentage in 2024.
So while the rankings suggest a downgrade, the Falcons are clearly chasing a higher ceiling. That’s the gamble here: Cousins may have been the steadier choice, but Tagovailoa gives Atlanta the chance to reach for something bigger.
In Other News...
Falcons Rookie Is Already Creating Serious Buzz Before Training Camp
Harold Perkins Jr. has already started drawing attention in Atlanta, even before his first NFL training camp begins. The Falcons took the LSU linebacker in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and his offseason work has included training with former Georgia Bulldogs pass-rush specialist Marcus Howard, a sign the team is trying to sharpen the traits that made Perkins such an intriguing addition in the first place.
For a Falcons defense looking for upside under coach Jeff Ulbrich, Perkins is the kind of late-round swing that can matter quickly if the development goes right. Atlanta is clearly optimistic about what he can become, and the buzz around him is only growing as he heads toward camp with a chance to turn that promise into something more. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons QB Battle Just Took A Tense Turn Before Camp
The Falcons quarterback room is already drawing opinions before training camp even gets going, and Patrick Paul is not hedging his bet. The former Dolphins tackle, who saw Tua Tagovailoa up close in Miami, said he believes Tagovailoa is going to win Atlantas starting job over Michael Penix once the competition opens up.
That prediction lands in a situation that already has plenty of intrigue for Atlanta, where Kevin Stefanski has set up an open battle for the No. 1 role. Tagovailoa arrives after a rough season in Miami and a fresh start on a one-year deal, while Penix is trying to hold his ground in a race that could shape the Falcons offense long before the regular season begins. [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Rankings Just Exposed The Falcons Biggest Roster Problem
ESPNs annual position rankings offered a familiar snapshot of why the Falcons have spent so much time chasing consistency: the roster is loaded with talent in places that matter, but not always in the spots that tilt the league. Atlanta got strong recognition for players like Bijan Robinson at running back, Chris Lindstrom on the interior line and Kyle Pitts back in the top 10 at tight end, while Jake Matthews and A.J. Terrell settled for honorable mention and Drake London still has a chance to land in the wide receiver rankings when that list is finalized.
The bigger takeaway, though, is what the rankings did not show. Atlanta has recently been trying to dig out from years of thin premium-position talent, the kind of shortage that has helped drag the team into losing records, and the front office change from Terry Fontenot to Ian Cunningham suggests a clearer push toward fixing that imbalance. Cunningham has already started using draft capital on the positions that usually decide whether a roster can truly compete, but the Falcons are still living with the consequences of how long those holes went unaddressed. [Read more 🡒]