Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr has found himself attached to a new NFL landing spot, and it comes at a time when the Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback picture is drawing plenty of attention.
The connection makes enough sense on paper. Atlanta has already spent a first-round pick on a quarterback recently, taking the former Washington Huskies signal caller No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Even so, some around the franchise are still questioning whether either Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa, who was acquired this offseason, can be the long-term answer beyond 2026.
“Concern continues to grow in Atlanta as the Falcons try to find out whether Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. can be their long-term answer at quarterback,” Brent Sobieski of Bleacher Report recently wrote. “Clearly, neither proved themselves in this scenario. The position’s top tier of prospects has already been chosen, but Notre Dame’s CJ Carr has a skill set that should serve him well as part of Kevin Stefanski’s offensive scheme.”
That latest projection comes after Carr was previously linked to Tampa Bay as his best possible destination earlier this summer. At the time, the thinking was that the Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield were headed toward a split over a new contract, with speculation that 2026 or 2027 could be Mayfield’s final season in Florida. In that version of the future, Carr could have been Tampa’s first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, spent a year learning behind Mayfield, and then taken over.
That path changed before the season began. Mayfield and the Buccaneers instead agreed to a surprise deal that will keep him in Tampa long-term, making it unlikely the team will be hunting for a quarterback in the first round next spring.
Atlanta’s current place in the draft picture is impossible to ignore. The Falcons are the odds-on favorite to land the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft after starting 0-2 and putting up only 16 points across those two losses. That naturally raises the next question: would Carr be the player sitting at the top of the board?
So far, he’s doing enough to stay in that conversation. Through Notre Dame’s first three games, Carr has completed 72.6% of his passes for 726 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions. Those numbers trail Miami quarterback Darian Mensah, who has posted 89.9% completions, 873 yards, 11 touchdowns, and zero interceptions, though Miami’s early schedule has been even softer than Notre Dame’s.
If Carr does decide to leave Notre Dame after this season, Atlanta would not be the strangest place for him to land. The bigger question is whether the Falcons would see him as the right answer after so many quarterback swings in recent years.
In Other News...
ESPNs CJ Carr Take Will Frustrate Notre Dame Fans
A box score can flatten a quarterbacks afternoon, and that is what happened with CJ Carr after Notre Dames win over Michigan State. ESPNs David Hale judged the performance largely through the numbers, but Carr still finished with a 75-percent completion rate and 234 passing yards, while helping the Irish move the ball in situations that mattered.
The bigger point for Notre Dame fans is that the game was not as empty as a stat-line critique made it seem. Carr connected on key throws on critical plays and showed the kind of influence that does not always show up in a quick recap, which is why the broader evaluation feels so much harsher than the actual performance. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dames Talent Edge Over Purdue Comes With One Small Concern
Notre Dame heads into its matchup with Purdue carrying a clear talent edge on paper, and that advantage shows up most sharply when the two rosters are lined up through recruiting rankings and recent production. Purdues defense has been built mostly from three-star recruits and has struggled this season, while Notre Dames offense is stocked with several highly regarded prospects, including five-star talent, giving the Irish a profile that suggests they should be able to stress the Boilermakers in a variety of ways.
Still, the cleanest read on this game is not simply that Notre Dame has more blue-chip ability. The small concern is whether that edge translates as smoothly as expected when Purdues defense gets a chance to make the Irish earn every bit of it. Notre Dame has the better personnel and the better recent performance, but this is the kind of matchup where execution can matter more than reputation, and the Irish will want to leave no opening for a team that has already been backed into a difficult spot. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Blackledge Just Fueled A Huge Notre Dame 2026 Debate
Todd Blackledge has watched enough Notre Dame football to know what he is looking at, and his latest take is already stirring up a familiar offseason argument around South Bend. The longtime analyst, who has called multiple Irish games, said he believes the 2026 team is better than the 2024 group that reached the College Football Playoff title game, pointing to upgrades on defense, at quarterback and in the way the offense is being built.
The quarterback piece is the one sure to get the most attention. Blackledge said CJ Carr is a better passer than Riley Leonard, and he also sees a more pass-oriented approach on first down as a sign of where the offense is headed. Even with that shift, he still likes the outlook for the run game because of the offensive line and the experience in the backfield, which leaves Notre Dame with a roster profile that sounds promising enough to invite a lot of debate before a snap is even taken. [Read more 🡒]