Atlanta Falcons Make 'Smartest Move of Entire Offseason' According to NFL Network

The Atlanta Falcons once again found themselves in quarterback purgatory this offseason with Kirk Cousins' two years of guaranteed money running out and Michael Penix Jr.'s health in question.

Cousins wasn't going to be back on a financially untenable third year of his contract, and Penix might not be available to start the 2026 season. The Falcons needed a veteran quarterback who could, at worst, hold down the fort until Penix recovered. However, the pickings were slim on the free agent market, and Atlanta was limited on resources anyway.

The NFL Draft was a no-go as the quarterback pool looks almost as bad as it did in 2022, and Atlanta is without a first-round pick. This is definitely not the year to be reaching for a quarterback in the first round (the Falcons would have had the No. 13 pick that went to the Rams in the James Pearce Jr. trade).

With little money and few options, the Falcons needed a little luck. They got some in the form of the Miami Dolphins, whose financial mismanagement has led them to take on nearly $180 million in dead cap money for players no longer with the team as they try to reset their roster.

Two-time All-Pro quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was part of the housecleaning in Miami, and because his $54 million salary was fully guaranteed by the Dolphins, the Falcons are getting him for the veteran minimum of $1.3million. Any additional money would have gone back to Miami, so Tagovailoa had no incentive to seek a bigger deal.

Tagovailoa has struggled the last two seasons, but getting him on the cheap was a stroke of luck for the Falcons, and NFL Network's Matt Okoda recognized it as such in a recent column.

"In terms of investment versus potential return, this might be the smartest move of the entire offseason," Okoda wrote on NFL.com.

Okoda mentions that there's no guarantee Penix ever becomes the franchise quarterback the Falcons are seeking, and getting a potential starter with upside is good for the team this year.

"As for Tagovailoa, while he's undoubtedly endured some struggles, he has led the league in completion rate (2024), passing yards (2023) and touchdown rate (2022) in various seasons, sports an NFL-best 69.9 completion percentage since 2023 and has a winning record (44-32) as a starter. For nearly no risk, the Falcons have landed solid QB competition, a potential part-time starter in 2026," Okoda concluded.

For a franchise whose luck has always run to the bad side, this was a stroke of good fortune. Now, it needs to continue. Tagovailoa and Penix need to remain healthy, and at least one of them needs to fulfill their potential with either a redemption season or a breakout season.

Is that asking for too much good luck in one season?

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