Who will the Atlanta Falcons bring in to replace/compete/back up Michael Penix Jr.? This is one of the central questions of the offseason, and while we may only have a few weeks to find out the answer, it’s normal to have a little healthy anxiety about this option.
Only the Falcons know who they are going after, but there are people around the league who have spoken with Falcons staff, agents and players and may have an idea. According to a report from the NFL Scouting Combine, NFL insiders believe Atlanta will eventually land either Joe Flacco or perhaps 2026 Tua Tagovailoa.
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ESPN’s Dan Graziano made it clear that he’s heard from a lot of people in league circles that they want Flacco to join Kevin Stefanski in Atlanta, and I’ve basically considered that a possible option since Stefanski was hired. Flacco played for Stefanski in 2023 and 2025 before Cleveland’s front office moved him last year, and the 2023 stretch has breathed new life into his starting career. Flacco can still play that role in his age-41 season, even if he’s the most immobile, and will complement Penix stylistically, who can fill in the gaps, but won’t be mad at being the backup if that time comes. He’s a very logical choice, although I wouldn’t be interested in investing after 2026.
Tagovailoa is another story. In the same article, an NFL coach told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (unprompted, as Fowler said) to keep tabs on the Falcons’ Tua. The 28-year-old quarterback is much younger than Flacco and appears to have more upside, but his tenure in Miami ended on a bad note, with him being extremely poor over the middle and deep in recent years and suffering multiple horrific concussions along the way. If Tua was released outright by the Dolphins and the Falcons could get him on the cheap, believing he could bounce back elsewhere, then I would understand the interest to an extent. In my opinion, a trade is completely out of the question due to concerns that Tua needs a very specific system to thrive and one injury could spell the end of his career.
I think Flacco is the leader of the club right now, but it’s worth keeping an eye on any number of options as the Falcons try to figure out how to address their quarterback situation this offseason.
