FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said Wednesday the decision to open the season with four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster was “a little bit of an insurance policy.”
The injury histories and performances of the top two quarterbacks, Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa, made that necessary for the Falcons, who open the season at Pittsburgh on Sept. 13.
The Falcons haven’t announced a starting quarterback and also have Cooper Rush and undrafted rookie Jack Strand on their 53-man roster at the position. When Tagovailoa was slowed at the start of training camp by lower back tightness, the Falcons signed Rush and Strand had an unexpected opportunity to work with the first-team offense.
“What it did show, it wasn’t too big for him, you know, to come in and do what he did early on,” Cunningham said of Strand before adding the rookie from Division II Minnesota State-Moorhead “showed the ability to just progress and get better ever since.”
Penix did not play in a preseason game as he continued his recovery from a left knee injury which ended his 2025 season. He was cleared to join team drills for the first time last week but was held out of the Falcons’ final preseason game at Miami on Friday night.
Tagovailoa, who has a history of concussions, led a touchdown drive but lost a fumbled snap in Atlanta’s 17-12 win over the Dolphins. It was Tagovailoa’s second fumbled snap in three preseason games — one from the shotgun and one under center.
The turnovers by Tagovailoa may have played a role in Falcons first-year coach Kevin Stefanski waiting to select a regular-season starter. The return to Miami last week provided a reminder that Tagovailoa was benched for the final three games of his sixth season with the Dolphins last season after he set a career high with 15 interceptions.
Cunningham confirmed on Wednesday there has been no decision on a starter.
The Falcons were 3-6 in Penix’s nine starts last season as he completed 60.1% of his passes with nine touchdowns and three interceptions. In two seasons, the 2024 first-round draft pick has 12 touchdown passes with six interceptions.
If Penix starts at Pittsburgh, plays well and shows he is fully recovered from his injury, the Falcons could adjust their 53-man roster and proceed with three quarterbacks.
The decision to carry four quarterbacks left the team with only Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson at running back. Tyler Goodson is on the 16-player practice squad as the third running back.
“I feel like that’s a little bit of the roster gymnastics, right?” Cunningham said. “It’s four quarterbacks and two running backs. You have to sacrifice at some position. ... And it will probably change throughout the season. Just because we start with this 53 now, it may not be the same 53 that it is, you know, Week 18.”
One of the Falcons’ most surprising roster cuts, defensive lineman Zach Harrison, was re-signed to the practice squad on Wednesday. The Falcons also signed defensive end Khalid Kareem and defensive back Jammie Robinson to the practice squad and released defensive back Cobee Bryant and defensive end Cam Sample.
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Charles Odum, The Associated Press
