The 2026 season for the Atlanta Falcons will once again feature a quarterback competition. This year, it will be between Michael Penix Jr., entering his third year in the league, and veteran Tua Tagovailoa, coming over as a free agent from the Miami Dolphins.
There’s definitely an uneasiness about the quarterback position in Atlanta. It’s been that way since Matt Ryan left years ago. Although Ryan is back in the building, he won’t be suiting up again. So, that leaves it to Tagovailoa and Penix to duke it out.
The confidence level in either one of those two working out for the Falcons is fairly low, however. In fact, SB Nation’s Jarrett Bailey believes Atlanta will make a big swing following the 2026 season for a new quarterback.
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Falcons Predicted to Make Blockbuster C.J. Stroud Trade
Bailey seems to have the Falcons moving on from both quarterbacks and trading for Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.
“The Falcons have a really nice collection of talent on offense, with Bijan Robinson being who many believe is the top running back in the NFL, and Drake London is one of the game’s finest receivers,” Bailey wrote. “Unfortunately, they have yet to find a quarterback who they can lean on, and that will continue to be the case in 2026 with Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix. Atlanta trades for Stroud, who easily becomes the best quarterback Kevin Stefanski has had since Baker Mayfield.”
That’s a mighty bold prediction, but it could have some legs to it. Stroud hasn’t been the same quarterback since he won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023. If that persists, the Texans may look to move on from him. There’s certainly been speculation about such a move throughout the league.
As for Atlanta, they’ve been looking for their franchise quarterback for the last five years after trading Ryan. Arthur Smith tried everyone from Taylor Heinicke and Marcus Mariota to failed third-round experiment Desmond Ridder. Then Raheem Morris signed Kirk Cousins to a loaded four-year deal that saw him gone after two, leaving the new regime to pay for him. Oh, and the Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. weeks later in the first round.
So, that being said, trading for Stroud would feel like a similar move to all of these, with a low percentage chance of succeeding, too.
The Falcons simply can’t afford another one of those.
Falcons May Be Better Off Looking to 2027 NFL Draft
The Falcons’ best bet, should Tagovailoa and Penix indeed not work out, is to seek out their next franchise quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft. It is currently projected to be loaded with talent at the position.
This is how they found Ryan back in 2008 with the third overall pick.
Granted, drafting a first-round quarterback guarantees nothing, and there’s plenty of evidence of busts throughout league history.
That’s beginning to become true with Penix. However, drafting a first-round quarterback at least brings the hope of finding the next face of the franchise. That hope is much harder to find by continuing to take chances on quarterbacks who have already failed elsewhere, which is exactly where the Falcons find themselves again with Tagovailoa.
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