Michael Penix Jr. has been cleared for 11-on-11 activities, and the Atlanta Falcons QB1 race is still wide open.
Early this week, Penix Jr. spoke more in depth about his belief that he is closer than ever and can do anything the coaching staff asks of him; it simply came down to whether or not his doctors believed he was prepared for full contact. After meeting with medical staff on Friday, he’s been cleared to return.
The timing couldn’t be better. Tua Tagovailoa has not come close to cementing his
status as the starting quarterback for Atlanta. He had a rough outing against the Denver Broncos, and was reportedly volatile against the Indianapolis Colts during joint practice sessions.
Penix Jr. could not ask for a better opportunity to regain his status as the starting quarterback, but what should we expect from the third-year player? In most of these situations, concerns around rust and receiver chemistry are valid, but Penix Jr. hasn’t been on the rehab field all summer; he’s participated in everything outside of team activities — and he’s worked through mental reps in 11-on-11s when he can’t participate. Those reps should pay off and help him get up to speed quickly.
Fans are dying to see the young quarterback take reps under center and prove that his alignment was the fault of his former coaching staff, not his own ability. Penix Jr. will also have to prove that he’s improved his accuracy and can handle turning his back to the defense on play-action concepts, which is no small feat with only one preseason game left.
This return is welcome because the idea of Tagovailoa winning the job simply based on ability was starting to put a damper on this year’s training camp. The hope is that Penix Jr., at the very least, can make this a real competition.
