The Atlanta Falcons have a quarterback problem on their hands entering the 2026 season. Though kickoff isn’t until September, Atlanta’s new decision-makers need to address this issue sooner rather than later.
New president of football Matt Ryan, general manager Ian Cunningham and head coach Kevin Stefanski will have an interesting first season together, to say the least. With Kirk Cousins set to be released and uncertainty surrounding Michael Penix Jr.’s health — or production, for that matter — the Falcons are in quite the predicament.
But never fear — the NFL offseason is upon us, and with it could come a few options that Atlanta will more than likely explore.
One of those is Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins are currently in the midst of deciding exactly what they want to do with their quarterback. That decision, however, involves nearly $100 million.
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Falcons Linked to Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
While at the NFL Scouting Combine over the weekend, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler detailed some rumors and speculation he heard from players and coaches around the league. Apparently, one unnamed head coach mentioned Tagovailoa and the Falcons in the same breath.
“Something an NFL head coach said to me, unsolicited: ‘Watch for Tua [Tagovailoa] in Atlanta,’” Fowler wrote.
It would certainly be interesting to know exactly which head coach said that — and whether it came from a rival AFC East team.
Either way, the pairing of Tagovailoa and the Falcons is intriguing.
For one, it would give Atlanta yet another left-handed quarterback, just like Penix. That would at least eliminate the need for offensive line adjustments.
Secondly, Fowler didn’t clarify whether this scenario involved a trade or a potential release. That part matters.
All signs continue to point toward a release. The odds of Miami finding a team willing to absorb his fully guaranteed $54 million salary in 2026 are slim — especially a team like Atlanta that is just now digging itself out of the Cousins contract.
“The Dolphins continue to tell people that they’ve had trade talks with teams and haven’t given up on trying to trade Tagovailoa, even though that would mean picking up a significant portion of his $54 million in fully guaranteed 2026 salary,” ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported.
“But based on my conversations with other teams, I’m skeptical, and I expect Miami to release Tagovailoa by the third day of the league year (when $3 million of his 2027 salary would become fully guaranteed).”
Even if that happens, Tagovailoa isn’t a perfect solution for Atlanta. Durability remains a major concern. Consistency has been, too. And those are two of the same concerns that already exist with Penix.
Tua Tagovailoa, Kirk Cousins Also Linked to NFC North Team
If Atlanta ultimately passes on Tagovailoa — or if he doesn’t land there — another quarterback-needy team could enter the picture.
According to Fowler, the Minnesota Vikings are monitoring multiple veteran options.
“I’ve also heard that the Vikings are considering [Kyler] Murray and [Geno] Smith as they outline their veteran quarterback plan. Tua Tagovailoa and Cousins are also on their radar,” Fowler wrote.
Murray, Smith and Tagovailoa have all been floated as potential cut or trade candidates. Cousins is the only one officially on his way out — but that could change quickly around the league.
If multiple veteran quarterbacks hit the market by March 11, the entire landscape shifts.
For Atlanta, that might create opportunity.
Or it might just create more chaos in an already uncertain quarterback room.
Shane Shoemaker Shane Shoemaker is a sports journalist covering college football and the NFL for Heavy.com. His work has also appeared in The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, USA TODAY, and ClutchPoints, along with high school sports coverage for the Marion Tribune. More about Shane Shoemaker
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