Falcons create new offseason competition with intriguing signing

While the Atlanta Falcons are going through a quarterback competition between Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr., the team has created another battle this offseason with their latest signing. Though all eyes will be on the Falcons’ quarterbacks competing with one another, there is now a positional battle at the punter spot.

The team announced on Thursday that Atlanta has signed Australian punter Matthew Hayball, who has played only with the New Orleans Saints at the professional level. At the collegiate level, he started with the Florida Atlantic University Owls, then transferred to the Vanderbilt Commodores.

The punter will now compete with Jake Bailey, who signed with the team in March of this year on a three-year, $9 million contract.

Hayball was part of a two-day tryout during the Falcons’ mandatory minicamp, and his signing is unique as per the team’s website: “He has been designated as the team’s exempt international player.” This means Hayball will not count toward Atlanta’s 90-man roster limit.

He was one of six players invited to try out during minicamp, showing how interested the team was in him. At any rate, it remains to be seen how the punter battle will progress between him and Bailey, as the upcoming training camp will be huge for his stakes in the competition.

Looking at the team itself, Atlanta is looking to improve after finishing with an 8-9 record, putting them third in the NFC South, as the franchise prepares for Week 1 of the upcoming season on Sunday, Sept. 13. against the Pittsburgh Steelers.