The Falcons’ quarterback situation has already turned into one of the stranger early-season storylines, and ESPN’s Ben Solak thinks Week 2 could bring an even more unexpected twist.
Atlanta opened the 2026 NFL season with Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa battling for the starting job, but neither is healthy enough to be available through at least the first two weeks. That pushed Cooper Rush into the Week 1 role, and he’s set to start again in Week 2. Behind him sits undrafted rookie free agent Jack Strand, the QB4 on the depth chart, who remains the backup - even if plenty of people are wondering whether he might see the field.
Solak doesn’t think Strand is in line for a conventional appearance. Instead, he’s predicting the rookie will find the end zone against the Carolina Panthers on a quarterback sneak.
“Falcons QB Jack Strand will score a touchdown,” Solak predicts. “Even with Rush getting the Week 2 start, Strand is an enormous player (6-foot-5, 240 pounds) who should get short-yardage usage as a QB sneak expert.”
That would mean Strand’s touchdown wouldn’t come through the air or on a scramble. It would come on the kind of goal-line power play teams sometimes reserve for a bigger body.
Rush is no lightweight himself at 6-foot-3 and 224 pounds, but Strand brings a little more size to the table. In a tight short-yardage spot, that extra frame could matter.
The idea isn’t brand new. Teams have used bigger players as sneak specialists before, including the Seattle Seahawks with tight end A.J.
Barner. Solak’s thought is that Atlanta could lean on Strand in a similar way, giving him a specific role in those heavy short-yardage situations.
He’s also described as younger and more explosive than Rush, which could make him a useful option for the Falcons when they need a shove at the goal line. It’s a long shot, sure, but not a completely wild one.
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