Michael Penix Making Strides in Recovery but Facing Uphill Battle on Depth Chart

Falcons former first round pick Michael Penix is going to have a difficult time making a real run at the Falcons starting quarterback position.

At a time when Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City), Daniel Jones (Indianapolis), Bo Nix (Denver) and other quarterbacks are ahead of schedule in their recoveries and in good position to be ready for Week 1, the timeline for Penix projects for training camp as well, but is significantly as well by the face he will have to learn a new offense with an entirely new staff. 

It’s a totally different scenario than what these veteran quarterbacks are experiencing as established starters in proven systems with familiar coaches.

Several in NFL circles with ties to new head coach Kevin Stefanski believe the team’s immediate pursuit of free-agent quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, as much as others teams did not value him as a starting quarterback, was quite telling and that the move is a means to installing him as starter and giving them time to slow-play Penix’s return and lean into going with a more established quarterback.

Long Recovery From Major Surgery

The reality is, Penix is going to be limited through the offseason and likely at least somewhat early in the summer and Tagovailoa has some physical limitations but will absorb this offense quickly and understands how to deliver the ball quickly. 

The deck is going to be stacked in his favor.

Penix had his left ACL reconstructed in late November and, given how high he was drafted and what Atlanta has invested in him, the team will take every precaution with his return. 

In the meantime, Tagovailoa will have every opportunity to get starting reps and given how little is asked of veterans in the preseason these days, the odds of him peforming poorly enough top leave the door open for Penix are pretty slim, as are the odds of Penix getting sufficient reps in the exhibition games to move up the depth chart.

This isn’t going to end up being much of a competition unless Tagovailoa himself gets hurt, in all likelihood, which has been a significant subplot to his career to this point.