The Falcons are still a few weeks out from the start of the 2026 NFL regular season, but the quarterback picture is already heating up. Michael Penix Jr. is back in the mix, and on Monday the team finally let him back into 11-on-11 work for the first time since last season.
That return came with a reminder of why people around the team are so eager to see what Penix can do. The third-year quarterback split reps with Tua Tagovailoa, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski, who said he did not know whether Penix would get into the preseason finale.
Penix didn’t waste time making noise once the team periods began. He drew a reaction from the crowd with a sharp throw to Drake London, finishing 4-of-8 in 11-on-11s and flashing the kind of arm talent that has long been part of his appeal.
One of the day’s best throws was a tight-window dart to London between Divine Deablo and A.J. Terrell.
While Penix works his way back into the competition, the buzz around rookie quarterback Jack Strand keeps growing. Strand turned heads in Friday’s preseason win with 212 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a rushing score, and what once looked like a long shot to make the roster now has fans and local radio buzzing. Stefanski was asked directly whether Strand could be in the starting quarterback conversation, and he didn’t shut it down.
"Yeah, I think with all of our guys, everyone prepares to be the starter," answered Stefanski. "Now, having said that, obviously we work with our young guys and we want to make sure that we put all of them, Jack included, through a process and make sure that they are getting the proper things down when it comes to understanding systems, understanding defense or what have you so he's doing everything we're asking him to do, but we're not going to put those types of things out there for our guys to worry about. He's got to keep his focus on the day to day."
Strand’s rise has also prompted some outside explanation for why he went undrafted in the first place. NFL analyst Thor Nystrom said a coach on the MSU-Moorhead staff told him Strand might have been a top-3 quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft if he had taken NIL offers and left after his last season. Instead, Strand stayed in Minnesota to finish with his teammates.
"A coach on the MSU-Moorhead staff told me in the spring that Strand may have been a top-3 drafted QB if he’d taken NIL offers to jump up his last season," Nystrom wrote on Twitter. "Strand wanted to finish it out with his teammates. As scouts say, if you’re talented, they’ll find you."
On the defensive side, rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels is making his own case to keep climbing. The Falcons’ fourth-round pick is competing for the other starting linebacker spot next to Divine Deablo, and he put up an elite Pro Football Focus grade in Friday’s preseason win over the Colts. Daniels checked in at 90.1, which ranked third on the team overall.
He wasn’t the top linebacker in the game, though. That honor went to Christian Harris, who posted a 90.8 and led all defensive players in the matchup.
Elsewhere, former Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot has moved on to a new role in New York, though not with either of the city’s NFL teams. Fontenot said on Instagram that he has taken a job in the league’s corporate office and described the move as the next step in his family’s journey.
"Our time in Atlanta has come to an end," Fontenot wrote under a photo of his family. "On to our next adventure in the Big Apple!
From the Saints to the Falcons to the NFL corporate office. Our journey continues.
Gods plan. All blessings."
In Other News...
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Richardson had asked for a trade earlier this offseason, though no deal materialized, and the Colts still appear inclined to keep three quarterbacks on the roster. With head coach Shane Steichen announcing that Richardson will start the preseason finale against the Detroit Lions, he gets one more chance to strengthen his case and quiet the uncertainty that has surrounded him. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Pass Rush Suddenly Has An Unexpected Player To Watch
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Falcons Suddenly Make Sense In One Bears Trade Scenario
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From Atlantas perspective, the connection is easy to see, even if nothing is imminent. The Falcons have been mentioned among several possible destinations, alongside the 49ers, Titans, Giants and Eagles, and that keeps this from feeling like a random name being floated for clicks. Whether Chicago actually moves Dexter will determine how far the interest goes, but the fit is enough to make the speculation feel a lot more grounded than most early-season trade chatter. [Read more 🡒]