3. Marcus Mariota
There might be some ill-will towards Mariota not only based on his level of play in the 2022 season but on how he exited the franchise. Whether or not Mariota was correct in his actions can be debated. What cannot is the fact the quarterback remains one of the best backups in the league. The Falcons need stability and a veteran they can rely on if Penix were to go down.
Mariota has shown both with the Eagles and Commanders he can make plays in that role. His time as a starter is long past, however, there is a lot of value in signing the quarterback as your primary backup. The one wrinkle for Atlanta is the fact they have to wait to decide the future of Kirk Cousins. This could cost the team the chance to sign any of the top backup options hitting the market.
While there are a handful of fits for the Falcons behind Penix, none offer the history of Mariota in Atlanta. The quarterback is familiar with the team and the majority of the starting offense. A reunion makes sense if the Falcons and Mariota are able to overlook how things ended two seasons ago.