The Falcons are getting a good early look at what Michael Penix Jr. can do in a more demanding offense, and quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt likes what he sees. Penix has been handling more work under center, and Van Pelt said he’s “really proud” of the way the young quarterback is adjusting.
“He looks really good. He’s throwing really well right now.
I love his footwork. We have done a lot of under-center work with him during the 7-on-7 periods.”
Van Pelt also said Tua Tagovailoa has been trending up over the last few practices, praising the way he’s processing what he sees on the field.
“has really come along”
“The biggest thing you can tell is that he is a veteran. … If a defense makes a mistake, he can see that.”
In Carolina, Jonathon Brooks is finally starting to look like the player the Panthers were expecting. The running back has appeared in only three games across his first two seasons, but head coach Dave Canales said Brooks is moving like himself again in practice after dealing with injuries.
“Really looking forward to, just the hard work that J.B. has had to do over the last couple of years to get him to this point,” Canales said, via the team’s official website. “He feels great.
He feels strong. He looks fast; he looks like the guy that I remember, and I’m really excited for that.
But more so just, for a guy to go through things and to be able to have the emotional and mental resiliency to go through that training twice, to get himself back, this is a celebration, and you can feel the gratitude in him; you can feel the focus and how important this opportunity is for him.”
New Orleans also had a notable health update, with safety Julian Blackmon speaking about what it means to be back after recovering from a torn labrum.
“Something that’s given to you can be just as quickly taken away,” Blackmon said, via SaintsWire.com. “For me, obviously, my career has been trials and errors, a lot of hardships, but at the same time, a lot of gratitude.”
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Now the bigger question may be whether his football future lasts long enough to matter. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reported that Rechsteiner is viewed as a long shot to stick on the Saints roster and is expected to move toward WWE, following a family path that already includes cousin Bronson Rechsteiner, who had a brief NFL run before making the jump to wrestling. [Read more 🡒]