Organized team activities kicked off in earnest today for the Atlanta Falcons, who are one of eight teams who collected for OTAs yesterday. These OTAs are an opportunity to see photos and video clips of players to whet your appetite for more substantial updates from minicamp, training camp, and ultimately the season, but there are still fun moments and worthwhile updates.
I’d say the most worthwhile updates thus far concern two injured Falcons expected to have prominent roles in 2026. The first is
Michael Penix Jr., who continues to throw and participate in drills, but is not yet doing team work.
This is good news, of course, and continued progress for a player who needs to be as healthy as possible to compete with Tua Tagovailoa in training camp. The two threw side-by-side today, which means Penix is on track for that outcome if he keeps progressing.
Billy Bowman Jr. is also working his way back from a torn Achilles, a brutal injury that left his summer fortunes in doubt. While he’s not doing drills yet, Bowman’s on his way back, and head coach Kevin Stefanski seemed encouraged by his progress.
We didn’t get these named updates about Troy Andersen and Bralen Trice, who are also recovering after missing all of the 2025 season, but Stefanski did indicate everyone working their way back is making progress.
There were plenty of clips from practice of drills, especially for the receivers, but health is my primary concern during the first OTA sessions and should be yours, as well. The Falcons are going to have Penix and Tua compete this summer and Bowman is going to push for the nickel cornerback job, but the concern earlier in the spring was around whether Penix and Bowman would be available on a timeline that will allow that. So far, so good, and the rest will come.
Oh, and if you’re just looking to get excited about rookies, that’s worth the time as well.
Just remember not to get caught up in the spin cycle and start deciding position battles in your head before they even begin.
