Tua Tagovailoa’s first joint practice against the Indianapolis Colts did little to quiet the noise around his play.
After a preseason opener against the Denver Broncos that already left questions hanging over the Atlanta Falcons quarterback, Wednesday’s work against Indianapolis only added to the unease. Kevin Bowen of Indianapolis’ 93.5/107.5 The Fan described Tagovailoa’s day as “woeful,” while Daniel Flick of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted that “much of the Falcons’ pass game was quick and underneath with the first-team offense,” with not “much explosiveness.”
The numbers backed up that feel. In 11-on-11 work, Tagovailoa went 8-of-13, and the only completion that traveled more than 9 yards was a jump-ball touchdown to London, who “did most of the work, making the catch over a defender and scampering the final 30 yards to the end zone.”
He was also 3-for-3 in seven-on-seven work. Later in the day, Kendall wrote, “Tagovailoa threw a pick-six in the final team period of the day and faulted himself for bad ball placement.”
Even with that uneven showing, the quarterback battle hasn’t really shifted. Michael Penix Jr., the 2024 first-round draft pick who was expected to push Tagovailoa for the job, is still working back from the surgery he had last fall to repair a partially torn ACL. As of Wednesday afternoon, he remained out of 11-on-11 work.
There’s still no sign Penix will be cleared in time for the Falcons’ preseason game at the Colts this Saturday or the matchup with the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 28.
Unless that changes, and unless Penix clearly outplays him over the next few weeks, Tagovailoa remains on track to start Atlanta’s Week 1 game at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 13.
Tagovailoa said the focus right now is on building timing with his receivers. “We’re continuing to grow, figuring out how guys run their routes,” Tagovailoa said about building chemistry with his wide receivers.
“(I want to get) them to communicate with me and not go to their coach. Like, 'Hey, let’s talk to each other.'
That’s how we’re going to be able to go out there and feel comfortable.”
The concern, though, is hard to ignore: if Penix gets healthy, some may wonder whether the receivers would feel better with him as the team’s QB1.
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The Falcons are on the cusp of another notable shift in ownership, with private-equity firm Arctos reportedly lined up to buy a minority stake in the franchise. Arthur Blank still controls just under 73 percent of the team, and while the exact source of the stake is not fully clear, the planned investment would be a meaningful sign of how far Atlantas market value has climbed.
The arrangement is expected to unfold over 18 months in two tranches, which makes it more than just a simple transaction. It also still has to clear the NFLs approval process, with owners expected to vote in October, leaving one more formal step before the deal becomes part of the Falcons long-term financial picture. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Depth Chart Sends A Clear Message About Key Roster Battles
The Falcons second unofficial depth chart ahead of their joint practice and preseason game against the Colts offered another snapshot of where the roster stands in August. Cooper Rush is now listed as the starter at quarterback over Jack Strand, while Jawaan Taylor is back in the starting lineup and ZaDarius Smith has been added as a fifth-string edge rusher after coming out of retirement. It is the kind of preseason update that does not settle anything, but it does show how Atlanta is sorting through the back end of the roster and the top of a few position battles.
For a team still in evaluation mode, these listings matter because they hint at how the Falcons are viewing competition heading into a key week of work. Joint practices usually tell a little more than depth charts do, but the chart still gives a clear read on who is getting the first look and who is sliding into a more complicated fight for playing time. The Colts matchup will offer the next layer of clues, especially for players trying to turn a temporary listing into something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Camp Is Clarifying One Roster Battle Faster Than Expected
Tyler Goodson has been one of the more encouraging developments of Falcons training camp, and the momentum carried right into the joint practices against the Indianapolis Colts. The running back made a strong case with his explosiveness and by leading the team in carries during the work against Indy, giving Atlanta a clearer look at a backfield picture that had still carried some uncertainty as camp opened.
Elsewhere on the practice fields, the Falcons are still sorting through a few other roster questions, including the swing tackle battle and the progress of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Jack Strands workload has also been limited, with the rookie spending time only in individual drills while Cooper Rush handled the second-team snaps, a setup that keeps the depth chart conversation very much alive as camp continues. [Read more 🡒]