Falcons Make Quarterback Decision Before NFL Season

As the competition continues to take shape, the Falcons made an unexpected move involving another quarterback on the roster. Veteran Trevor Siemian had been expected to provide experienced depth behind Tagovailoa and Penix after signing with Atlanta earlier this offseason, giving Stefanski a reliable third option with 40 career NFL starts and more than a decade of professional experience.

However, that plan changed on Tuesday. The Falcons announced they have released Siemian with a non-football injury designation, ending his brief stint with the franchise before the preseason even began.

Siemian signed with the Falcons in March after spending the previous year on the Tennessee Titans’ practice squad, and was expected to bring valuable experience to the locker room. The former seventh-round pick out of Northwestern entered the league with the Denver Broncos in 2015 and had stints with the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears and Titans. He owns 7,751 career passing yards, 44 touchdown passes, and 32 interceptions, while also winning Super Bowl 50 as a member of Denver’s roster early in his career. 

Atlanta’s quarterback situation remains fluid as training camp gets underway. Tagovailoa is dealing with what Stefanski described as a minor injury flare-up, per Atlanta Falcons reporter Tori McElhaney . Penix is not yet ready for full-team work as he continues his recovery. As a result, undrafted rookie Jack Strand is set to take the first-team quarterback reps to open camp on Wednesday.