Former Top Draft Pick Further Muddies Falcons Quarterback Situation
The quarterback position has been a spot that the Atlanta Falcons have struggled to hit. Ever since former league MVP Matt Ryan was traded away during the 2022 offseason, Atlanta has started five different starting quarterbacks over the past four seasons. With the start of a new league year, general manager Ian Cunningham has plans to add another name to the laundry list of new starting quarterbacks for the Falcons since the Matt Ryan era. With the signing of former Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the Falcons have added another hefty question mark at the position. What does Tua’s signing entail for the already problematic Atlanta quarterback room?
Before the official start of free agency, NFL Insider Tom Pelissero reported that the Atlanta Falcons were making a strong push to sign the former fifth overall pick. Tagovailoa, who had been released in the middle of his four-year, $212 million extension he had signed in 2024, will join the Falcons on a one-year, one-point-three million dollar contract. The former Alabama prospect signed an extension with the Dolphins after a 2023 campaign in which he led the league in passing yards and notched his first and only Pro Bowl. However, Tagovailoa had been underwhelming each subsequent season, with concussion after concussion and more waning play in the lead-up to Tua’s disastrous 2025 season. Tagovailoa’s 2025 was marred by poor play and more injuries. In his 14 games played, he finished second in the league in interceptions thrown with 15 and finished with a dismal 37.5 QBR, which was good for 26th out of the 28 quarterbacks that played over 10 games, according to ESPN stats. The former top prospect will now have a new change of scenery as he battles for a starting spot in an admittedly woeful Falcons’ quarterback room.
Tagovailoa and former 2024 top pick Micahel Penix Jr. will be battling for the starting quarterback spot for the 2026 season. Penix is also coming off a disappointing year that was prematurely ended when he tore his ACL in a Week 11 bout against the rival Carolina Panthers. From an outsider’s perspective, Tagovailoa was signed to replace the struggling Penix, but the problems with the signing are much deeper than that. It’s telling that Miami would rather move on two years into Tagovailoa’s four-year extension. Atlanta will be banking on two quarterbacks with extensive injury histories who have yet to show consistent play on a year-to-year basis. The quarterback room now carries even more questions and concerns post-Tagovailoa’s signing.
The good news for Atlanta is the terms of Tagovailoa’s contract. A one-year prove-it deal that costs the Falcons a drop in the bucket in terms of their overall cap space. The problem lies in the future: Is Tua actually the long-term answer for Atlanta? Short answer, no. The signing indicates Cunningham and head coach Kevin Stefanski wanted a cheaper option than former starter Kirk Cousins. Someone who can give Atlanta average quarterback play in hopes the scheme is good enough to get the team into the postseason for the first time since 2017. The signing may also light a fire under Penix, who will be fighting for that starting spot once he recovers from injury. Tagovailoa now has a second chance to prove himself, and Penix will have to continue to fight for his starting spot. Will Tua surge back to his 2023 form? Will Penix show more than just flashes of arm talent? It’s now or never for both Penix and Tagovailoa, as their futures remain uncertain on Atlanta’s roster post 2026.
