ESPN Grades Atlanta Falcons’ Signing of Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa

When the legal tampering period for NFL free agency opened Monday, the Atlanta Falcons agreed to terms with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The deal will become official on Wednesday at 4 p.m. EST when the new league year begins. Tagovailoa is expected to sign a one-year contract worth the league minimum of $1.3 million.

ESPN’s Seth Walder graded each team’s free agency decisions, and he liked Atlanta’s decision to bring in the Pro Bowl quarterback. The Falcons received a B+ grade for the move.

“Tagovailoa fits the bill as a quarterback who has had success before,” Walder wrote. “Tagovailoa is a logical choice for Atlanta, and the Falcons are a logical choice for him. He is only 28 and two years ago ranked 10th in QBR. If he can find some of his former form again in Kevin Stefanski’s offense, that will be good for Tagovailoa and the Falcons.”

The veteran quarterback was brought in with the expectation that he will compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting job. With Kirk Cousins set to be released, the Falcons needed to bring in another quarterback, and with this move, they add a passer who is not only inexpensive but also left-handed, meaning an easy transition for the offense regardless of who wins the job come Week 1.

“With Michael Penix Jr. rehabbing from the torn ACL he suffered last November, the Falcons needed someone who could, at minimum, run the offense through the offseason and back up Penix in-season. At most, the new QB would likely start a few early-season games.” Walder said.

Penix expects to be ready for Week 1, but if he’s not, the Falcons now have another option in place.

For the league minimum, the move represents a low-risk, upside signing for Atlanta. Tua Tagovailoa struggled in 2025, posting a 37.5 QBR with a 3.5% interception rate. However, he is only two years removed from a Pro Bowl season in which he led the league with 4,609 passing yards while completing nearly 70% of his passes and throwing 29 touchdowns.

If Tagovailoa is named Atlanta’s starter in Week 1, beating out Penix, and plays well, he may carry the starting job for the entire season. If he struggles or Penix wins the job, he will be a cheap backup.

Because the deal is only one-year, the Falcons carry little long-term commitment and can easily move on after the season if the Tagovailoa experiment does not work out, a key reason the move earned such a strong grade.