The Falcons are wrapping up their OTAs (Organized Team Activities) this week as we get closer to the summer dead zone before training camp. Atlanta had some notable news and injury updates from the first few days, and we’ve got a summary for you right here.
Michael Penix nearing return to 11-on-11
The biggest story of the summer thus far has been the return of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to practice in a limited capacity. Penix has been taking part in throwing drills and 7-on-7s, but hasn’t yet progressed to 11-on-11 work. That could be coming to an end soon, however, as head coach Kevin Stefanski says it’s a possibility that Penix could take part in full team sessions as early as next week at mandatory minicamp.
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Now, “we’ll see” is far from a certainty, but it sounds like Penix’s return is on the horizon. It seems as though a return to full activity is absolutely possible for the start of training camp, at the very least.
Billy Bowman, Kendal Daniels not yet cleared for practice
The Falcons are also awaiting the return of cornerback Billy Bowman Jr., who tore his Achilles during the 2025 season. Bowman is progressing well, per Stefanski, but is not yet cleared for practice. The hope is that Bowman can return for training camp, at least in some capacity. It also wouldn’t be surprising to see Bowman begin camp on PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) just in case his rehab is slower than expected.
Falcons rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels was spotted wearing a walking boot during initial workouts, but has progressed quickly from that injury. He’s been doing rehab and working off to the side, including work on the stationary bike. It seems like his return to the practice field will be very soon, potentially even next week for mandatory minicamp. But again, there’s no real reason for Atlanta to rush anyone back at this point, and a training camp debut is the most likely debut for Daniels.
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No QB1 competition until Penix returns
Fans and analysts have spent quite a lot of energy arguing over who will win Atlanta’s inevitable quarterback battle between veteran Tua Tagovailoa and third-year Michael Penix Jr. A common refrain is that Tua is bound to win the battle, because he’s currently participating in 11-on-11s and Penix is not. While that’s obviously an advantage in terms of chemistry and proving yourself to the new staff, my personal opinion is that it’s a minor one at best. The true competition was always going to take place in training camp, with summer workouts only a small piece of the puzzle.
The Falcons clearly agree with that sentiment, as Atlanta’s quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt made clear to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. Van Pelt noted that it’s “tough to have a competition when both guys aren’t competing,” suggesting that the team isn’t using OTAs (and perhaps minicamp) as a major part of their quarterback evaluation. Van Pelt praised Penix’s rehab and the work that he is doing, but made it clear: “there’s no competition until we can actually evaluate him equally.”
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This isn’t to say what Tua and Penix are doing now isn’t important—everything you do in the building is going to factor in to Atlanta’s eventual decision making in some way. But it is a point of emphasis that the staff intends to run a fair and thorough competition in training camp, and not get too ahead of themselves by putting tremendous weight on throws with no pressure or contact during OTAs and minicamp.
Personally, I think a thorough QB battle is exactly what Atlanta needs.
Da’Shawn Hand is the defensive line’s “final boss”
The Falcons brought in a number of moderately priced veterans this offseason in an effort to improve the team’s overall depth and talent level without breaking the bank. We’ve yet to see if this approach will pay off in the win/loss column, but one defensive line addition has already been turning heads. Da’Shawn Hand, mostly recently with the Los Angeles Chargers, is coming off a career-best season with 13 starts. Hand is a versatile interior defender who is known for stout run defense, and he’s got a knack for knocking down passes with 4 PD and an INT in 2025.
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Falcons defensive line coach Nate Ollie described Hand as the line’s “final boss”, and noted that he’s been given the name Kingpin. I don’t really know what any of that actually means, but it sounds cool. The Falcons could really use Hand’s run defending chops given the unit’s struggles there last season, and pass deflections are always welcome.
Drake London officially signs massive extension
Falcons receiver Drake London officially signed his massive 4-year, $141M extension on Monday. It’s a critical deal for both London and the Falcons, who locked up their WR1 for the foreseeable future. London remarked on the deal and it’s implications to the media today at Flowery Branch.
There were a number of things he touched on, including that he feels a “weight to prove the Falcons right”, but I particularly enjoyed this excerpt. London wanted to stay in Atlanta because his dream has always been to bring a Super Bowl to the city. He wants to be a legend in Atlanta. I think he’s well on his way to that status, Super Bowl or no, but a Super Bowl could end up putting him on a Hall of Fame trajectory. We’ll have to see how London’s career continues to play out, but the sky is the limit for him.
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That’s all the latest from Falcons OTAs this week. There’s one more notable event between now and training camp: mandatory minicamp, which takes place from June 16-18. This is the first event on the offseason calendar that requires all veterans and rookies to attend, so we’re likely to get quite a bit of news and injury updates based on who is out there.
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