The Falcons are finally at the point where all the offseason work turns into live football, and Friday night’s preseason opener against the Broncos will come with a clear quarterback plan.
Tua Tagovailoa will start, with Kevin Stefanski saying Michael Penix Jr. has not been fully cleared for contact. Stefanski also said the starters are expected to get at least one series and possibly more, depending on the player, which marks a noticeable shift from the way Atlanta handled preseason action in recent years.
Once Tagovailoa’s night is over, Cooper Rush is set to take over. After that, undrafted rookie Jack Strand will finish the game. Rush arrived on the first day of training camp, and Strand had been getting plenty of work while Penix and Tagovailoa were limited, though those reps have tapered off lately as Rush has taken more snaps with the No. 2 offense.
Wednesday’s short practice, the Falcons’ final full session before Thursday’s walk-through, offered a better look at how the rest of the roster is lining up for Friday. The only serious preseason injury remains the second-year edge rusher, but several notable players have also been sitting out this week, including Jessie Bates, Bralen Trice, Divine Deablo, Da’Shawn Hand, and Avieon Terrell. None of them would be a surprise absence against Denver.
There was some movement on the field, too. Jawaan Taylor practiced Wednesday, while Zach Harrison was a full participant throughout the week. Taylor likely won’t play Friday, but Harrison could get snaps.
Deablo’s absence has opened the door for rookie linebackers Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. to work heavily with what would be considered the first-team defense. At safety, Sydney Brown - acquired in a trade before the draft - should be in line for a good amount of work, along with veteran DeMarcco Hellams.
The offensive line picture also got a little clearer. Jake Matthews had a veteran rest day Wednesday, and Michael Jerrell handled every snap at left tackle. Jerrell has been part of a right tackle rotation that also includes rookie Ethan Onianwa and Brandon Walton, and all three should see plenty of action against the Broncos.
Nickel is another spot that has seen heavy rotation, Terrell included. With Terrell out and Brown getting more work at safety, A.J. Woods and Darnay Holmes could end up with the bulk of those reps.
Special teams had its own standout moments. Even with a stiff wind at their backs, Jake Bailey and Matthew Hayball were consistently driving punts 60-plus yards and dropping them inside the 10-yard line. Bailey is set to be the team’s punter this season, and even when the operation moved to midfield, he still showed strong touch on shorter kicks.
Rookie Zachariah Branch is also set for his first live chance to return punts and kicks against a defense. He has already flashed as a receiver, but the team has mostly been going through the motions in return work and coverage up to this point.
Then there was the defensive play that stood out most. Safety Jammie Robinson was back on the field for the first time and picked off a tipped pass from Tagovailoa.
The quarterback kept the play alive, then kept it alive again in what likely would have turned into a tackle-or-throw-away moment in a real game, before firing into traffic with Kyle Pitts and Drake London in the area. Robinson secured the ball and will be trying to make his case for the 53-man roster.
Atlanta will hold a walk-through Thursday at Flowery Branch before facing Sean Payton’s Broncos on Friday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Payton, long a thorn in the Falcons’ side, brings a strong Denver team into town, and he usually leans toward giving starters plenty of preseason run as well.
There’s still plenty to sort out beyond the top of the depth chart. The Falcons have 44 of 90 players on one-year contracts or the final year of their deals, so even in a preseason setting that often feels casual, the competition should be sharp.
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Jake Matthews Just Gave Falcons Fans Another Reason To Respect Him
Jake Matthews has long been one of the steadier fixtures in Atlanta, the kind of left tackle the Falcons have been able to pencil in season after season without much worry. Since being drafted sixth overall in 2014, he has been a consistent starter, built the franchise record for consecutive games played, and carried the longest active streak of starts in the NFL at 195. He has also done his part off the field for the roster, restructuring his contract to help the Falcons create more room under the salary cap.
During training camp, though, Matthews revealed another layer to that durability: he spent the stretch run of last season dealing with a high-ankle sprain and still kept going. For a team that has leaned on him for years, it only deepened the respect around him, even as it raised the obvious question of how much longer Atlanta can expect that kind of ironman availability. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Rookies Are Suddenly Fighting For More Than Preseason Snaps
With preseason games on the horizon, the Falcons are getting a first real look at a rookie class that could matter right away once the games count. Branch, the third-round wide receiver who has turned heads, is among the young players expected to push for early-season work, while a second-round defensive back and an undrafted quarterback from Minnesota State-Moorhead are also in the mix as Atlanta sorts out who can help beyond camp.
For the coaching staff, these exhibitions are about more than just shaking off rust. They are a chance to test rookies against live competition, sort out roster battles and start piecing together who might earn real snaps, or even bigger roles, when the season opens. The Falcons have several young players competing for those opportunities, and the next few weeks should go a long way toward showing which ones are ready to turn a strong summer into something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Penix Jr. Gets One Crucial Shot In Falcons QB Battle
The Falcons are giving Michael Penix Jr. a meaningful runway next week when they head into joint practices with the Indianapolis Colts, and head coach Kevin Stefanski said the rookie will be involved in 7-on-7 work. For a quarterback competition that has been watched closely all summer, those reps matter because they offer a cleaner look at Penix in a competitive setting, where timing, decision-making and command can be judged without the full chaos of a preseason game.
Penix has not taken the field in the preseason opener, while the other quarterback drew the start and the early work with the starters. That leaves the joint practices as one of the first real chances for Penix to show how far he has come and make his case in a battle that still feels very much in motion. [Read more 🡒]