RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Michael Penix Jr. has been cleared for 11-on-11 competition, Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Saturday after his team’s 34-6 road win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2 of the preseason.
“He'll practice Monday in team periods,” Stefanski said.
Penix had been limited this offseason while recovering from a partially torn ACL that required season-ending surgery last year . That setback marked the 26-year-old’s fifth season-ending injury in the span of eight seasons between his college and NFL careers.
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Since OTAs in the spring, the former Washington star’s practice participation has boiled down to individual work and 7-on-7 periods.
Falcons quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt said earlier this offseason, according to ESPN , that the competition between Penix, the 2024 No. 8 overall pick, and former Miami Dolphins starter Tua Tagovailoa couldn’t truly begin until Penix was fully cleared.
With one preseason game remaining and three weeks to go before Atlanta opens the regular season in Pittsburgh for a Sept. 13 matchup with the Steelers, the Falcons’ battle under center is poised to heat up.
Atlanta signed Tagovailoa to a one-year deal back in March. He’s reportedly playing on the veteran minimum, making a bit more than $1 million this season. While the Dolphins continue to pay Tagovailoa the gobs of money they owe him, the Falcons are probing if the one-time Pro Bowl signal-caller can return to the form that allowed him to lead the NFL in passing yards in 2023 and pace the league in completion percentage the following season.
Tagovailoa, 28, hasn’t ran with the job in training camp. It didn’t help that he dealt with a back “flare up” early on . In the Falcons’ first preseason game, Tagovailoa completed 3-of-5 passes with 22 yards through the air against the Denver Broncos. On his first series, Atlanta went three-and-out. In the process, Tagovailoa muffed a shotgun snap prior to surrendering a 4-yard loss. Tagovailoa’s second drive was marred by Denver pressure.
More concerns about Tagovailoa’s ability surfaced this week in Indianapolis , where the Falcons took part in joint practice with the Colts ahead of their exhibition meeting.
Tagovailoa didn’t play Saturday against the Colts. Atlanta rode with journeyman Cooper Rush and rookie Jack Strand, a former undrafted free agent from Division II Minnesota State Moorhead . Strand threw for 212 yards in Indy and accounted for two touchdowns, one passing and one rushing. Rush got the ball rolling, hitting on 10 of his 11 passes for 86 yards.
The focus is on Tagovailoa and Penix, though: a pair of lefties who’ve had their fair share of injury issues. Now that they’re both healthy, the final act of Atlanta’s preseason will be defined by how the QBs really measure up with no restrictions.
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