FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - The Falcons finally put the pads on Monday, and the difference showed immediately. After four straight days without them and a Sunday off, training camp moved into its more physical gear on day five, with the temperature rising and the pace following right behind.
One of the biggest storylines remains Bijan Robinson, who missed the entire first session of camp last week and is still holding in amid a contract standoff. While teammate Matthew Bergeron, the player taken right after Robinson in the 2023 NFL Draft, landed a massive extension on Saturday, Robinson stayed in shorts and tennis shoes on Monday.
He was around the team, joining drills to watch and offer pointers, but he has not yet suited up. In his place, Brian Robinson Jr. has made a strong early impression as a backup, showing well as a receiver and running with force between the tackles.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was also back on the field Monday after time away from the team following his wife’s passing. His return was a welcome sight for the group.
The other major concern is up front, and it is not quarterback. Right tackle has become the clearest injury issue on the roster.
Kaleb McGary and Storm Norton were sidelined on the same day at training camp last year, and this offseason brought more turnover: McGary retired, while Norton was already ruled out for the season. The Falcons added Jawaan Taylor and Wanya Morris to help stabilize the spot, but Taylor opened camp on the active/PUP list with no return date known, and Morris did not take part in Monday’s practice.
Morris was on the field with a brace on his left knee and moved gingerly. Jack Nelson also sat out, watching in shorts and a jersey.
That left Michael Jerrell with a meaningful run alongside the first unit at right tackle, while Brandon Walton also saw work next to Chris Lindstrom at times. Jerrell arrived in a trade last season, and Walton joined the Falcons in the offseason after two years with the Panthers and two with the Buccaneers.
At quarterback, the early portion of practice included everyone through warm-ups and 1-on-1 work. Tua Tagovailoa got his first snaps in 11-on-11s, though he only had three plays before Jack Strand replaced him.
Penix was active in every part of camp except 11-on-11s, and he kept building momentum. He opened practice with a long throw to Chris Blair and followed that with a go-route touchdown to Zachariah Branch, a play that drew some of the loudest cheers of the day.
Branch, the third-round pick, kept flashing once the pads came on. He has been one of the most noticeable players on the field so far, showing speed, quickness and a willingness to play bigger than his 5-foot-10 frame suggests.
The hype around Branch is only growing, and Monday did nothing to slow it down.
Another spot worth watching is nickel, where the competition remains wide open outside of quarterback. A.J.
Woods got the first crack there, and after a week-plus of practices, he looks like a name that is forcing his way onto more 53-man roster projections. Avieon Terrell and Darnay Holmes also worked with first-team-caliber players such as Jessie Bates and Divine Deablo.
Terrell, in particular, had one of his strongest days while working strictly at nickel. He showed he could handle coverage responsibilities, and he also brought the physical edge the position demands, taking on blockers and running backs while helping seal the edge against the run.
Penix’s day stood out for another reason, too: his touch. He appeared to take a little off his throws and was more accurate as a result, whether he was firing a quick out to the sideline or finishing with the deep ball to Blair. He looked sharp from start to finish.
The offense also showed a noticeable shift in how it wants to attack. There was a clear emphasis on the middle of the field, with shallow drag routes becoming a regular part of the plan. Drake London had a nice play on a skinny post at the hash marks, and the ball was worked over the middle more in one practice than it had been in any five games last season.
Special teams had its moments, too. Jake Bailey followed up Sunday’s strong day, when he hit the coffin corner, and Nick Folk knocked in kicks from 47 and 50 yards in back-to-back attempts into the crowd. Folk has been the NFL’s most accurate kicker for three straight years, and the 41-year-old hasn’t shown any sign of slowing down.
The Falcons are set for their first afternoon practice Tuesday, and if Monday was the warm-up, the heat is only going to climb from here.
In Other News...
Tua Tagovailoa Just Changed The Falcons Quarterback Mood
The Falcons quarterback picture got a little clearer this week when Tua Tagovailoa returned to full 11-on-11 work after recovering from a back injury. He was back with the first-team offense during Atlantas first padded practice of training camp, a notable step for a quarterback room that has been waiting for some stability.
Michael Penix Jr. is still sidelined, which leaves Tagovailoa in position to open the season as the likely Week 1 starter. For a team trying to settle its offense before the games start counting, getting that kind of signal in camp matters, even if the final decision is still waiting in the wings. [Read more 🡒]
Troy Andersen Is Running Out Of Time In Falcons Camp
Troy Andersen is back in the mix at Falcons training camp, but only in the most limited sense for now. The linebacker is still rehabbing a knee injury, and Atlanta has him on the active/PUP list as he tries to work his way back from the same issue that wiped out his entire 2025 season. For a player whose career has already been interrupted by injuries, every step matters at this stage of camp.
The timing is especially tricky because the Falcons have a crowded linebacker room and little reason to wait around if Andersen cannot get healthy soon. He has appeared in only nine games since his rookie season, and his path to a roster spot is no longer simple. If he is not ready by the roster cut deadline, Atlanta may be forced to make a difficult call on a once-promising piece of its defense. [Read more 🡒]