This QB has 'clear advantage' in Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr. competition

A report from this past May indicated that first-year Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski was basically "installing" free-agency signing Tua Tagovailoa as the team's starting quarterback while 2025 Week 1 starter Michael Penix Jr. spent the spring recovering from surgery he needed last fall to repair a partially torn ACL.

It sounds like little has changed about the Falcons' unofficial depth chart amid the NFL's ongoing summer break.

Tua Tagovailoa "has a clear advantage" over Michael Penix Jr. in QB competition 

"Tagovailoa has a clear advantage at the moment," ESPN shared for a piece published on Monday. "Penix is not yet fully back from left ACL surgery last November -- he hasn't been cleared to participate in 11-on-11 team sessions during practice yet. Penix believes that will change when training camp begins later this month, and he is still targeting being completely healthy by Week 1. But certainly, nothing is guaranteed. ...Stefanski and [Falcons quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt] have been clear that there can't really be a full-fledged quarterback competition until Tagovailoa and Penix are on an even playing field. That means Penix being 100% and cleared for everything."

According to the NFL's website, veteran Falcons players are due to report to training camp on July 28. The ESPN update could lead one to believe that some within the Falcons aren't convinced Penix will be cleared to participate in 11-on-11 team sessions when training camp opens. One would think such a development would only further benefit Tagovailoa as it pertains to getting the nod for the Week 1 game at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 13. 

Falcons want this from Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr.

According to the ESPN piece, Stefanski wants Tagovailoa and Penix "to be in sync from bottom to top, sure-footed and steady from their foundations." The story also mentioned that "Van Pelt said the team's new offensive scheme has four different dropbacks with the quarterback in the shotgun formation."

One can only guess how Penix has and/or hasn't improved his footwork while also attempting to make a return to full fitness. As of the morning of July 6, it sounds like Tagovailoa is on track to start Atlanta's preseason opener versus the Denver Broncos on Aug. 14.