The Atlanta Falcons just wrapped up mandatory minicamp, which means that we won't see this team take the field again until their first day of training camp on July 29. This mean's we're officially in the "dead zone" of the NFL offseason, but thankfully, we got some answers during OTAs and minicamp.
We got our first look of what the Kevin Stefanski era in Atlanta will look like, and it looks leaps and bounds better than the Raheem Morris era. But that's also pretty much the same thing as comparing Zack Snyder's DC Universe to James Gunn's. You can't really compare when one is much better.
Perhaps the most important thing we got a glimpse of was the quarterback battle that supposedly has yet to even begin, but position battles all over the roster became just a bit clearer. And with that in mind, these players came out of Falcons OTAs and mandatory minicamp as big winners and losers.
The winners and losers who came out of Falcons' mandatory minicamp
Winner: Tua Tagovailoa
To put it plainly, Tua Tagovailoa has been straight-up sensational in his first offseason in Atlanta. He's looked incredibly sharp in practice, and is coming off of his best showing in Wednesday's practice session. And with every strong session he has, the more he extends his lead in the QB competition.
The Dirty Birds landing a potential franchise QB the lowly price of $1.3 million is a heist so masterful it's beyond Danny Ocean's wildest dreams. Tua is in the best situation of his career in Stefanski's offense while playing with these weapons and behind this offensive line. A bounce-back is coming.
The 28-year-old isn't exactly the most popular player, but if he keeps playing at this level, the quarterback competition will be over before it even begins.
Winner: Zachariah Branch
Talk about living up to the hype. Third-round receiver Zachariah Branch stood out time and again, and his highlight plays already have Falcons fans giggling and kicking their feet. With Drake London out, he took advantage, and proved why he's the explosive big-play threat this offense badly needed.
Though non-padded practices tend to favor smaller, shiftier players like Branch, it doesn't make what he's done any less impressive. He proved that he can handle a diverse route tree, and showed time and again that he's dangerous with the ball. There's a reason Tua compared him to Jaylen Waddle.
Regardless of who starts, it shouldn't take long for Zachariah Branch to make an instant impact.
Winner: Christian Harris
It was previously unclear who Atlanta was planning to start at linebacker next to Divine Deablo, and it seems like we finally have our answer. Christian Harris took first-team reps both during OTAs and mandatory minicamp, and it seems like he's pulling away in a seemingly crowded linebacker room.
Guys like Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. may be flashier names, but the 25-year-old has been a stud when he's healthy. He's young, athletic, and has plenty of upside, so Harris is the perfect candidate to be Jeff Ulbrich's next reclamation project at the linebacker position.
Winner: Michael Jerrell
After the Falcons traded for Wanya Morris, it seemed like Michael Jerrell would be good as gone. They brought in a younger, better swing tackle with Storm Norton on the PUP list, and it seemed that Jerrell was no longer needed in Atlanta. But he may have found a way to genuinely save himself.
With Jawaan Taylor sidelined due to a minor injury, Morris took snaps on the left side during minicamp, while the 26-year-old got first-team reps at right tackle. The right tackle room is an absolute mess and there's plenty of competition left, but this is a major step in the right direction.
Loser: Michael Penix Jr.
Be proxy, Michael Penix Jr. has to fall in the loser's section. While he hasn't even been cleared for full contact, Tua Tagovailoa is lighting things up, and he continues to extend the gap in a quarterback battle that's supposedly wide open. And that could ultimately decide his entire future with the team.
He's ramping up in his recovery and is in a really good place, but we won't get another true look at where he's at until training camp. Luckily, it's clear the Falcons aren't looking to make a decision yet. So while nothing is set in stone and won't be for a few months, he's behind the 8-ball in comparison.
It's very clear this new regime wants Penix to be in their long-term plans, but his injury history may have other plans.
Loser: Avieon Terrell
It's been a rough summer for Atlanta's prized 2026 second-round pick. A.J. Terrell's little brother has been dealing with the injury bug in his first offseason, and even once he returned, he got the rookie treatment. He was working with the third-team defense in minicamp due to a lack of experience.
Thankfully, there is a caveat here. He had his best practice of the summer in Day 2 of minicamp, and has started to improve. He's still very much in the team's long-term plans at cornerback, so while he may be in the losers section now, don't be surprised if he's one of the big winners of training camp.
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