The Atlanta Falcons had a wild opening week of training camp. Between injuries, hold-ins, and a major contract extension, there was no shortage of intriguing storylines that ultimately captured the headlines. It more than made up for the lull in the NFL calendar that was the entire month of July.
We got to see the Falcons put the pads on, and we got to see our first look of the Kevin Stefanski era. Competition has been brewing across several different positions, and things are only going to get more contentious as the season draws near--especially since the preseason will kick off next week.
Now that we officially have a week of practices in the books, there is no better time to evaluate the winners and losers of the opening week of training camp.
Who are the winners and losers from Week 1 of Atlanta Falcons training camp?
Winner: Zachariah Branch
Between OTAs, mandatory minicamp, and now training camp, rookie wideout Zachariah Branch has been a human highlight reel for the Falcons all offseason long. He's basically been unguardable to the point where it doesn't matter how he gets the football--every time he touches the ball it's electric.
His shiftiness and explosiveness have proved he's far more than just a gadget weapon. The third-round pick has had more downfield highlight plays in training camp, and his 4.35 speed has consistently been making defensive backs (namely AJ Woods and Darnay Holmes) look foolish.
While he hasn't been getting a ton of work with the first-team offense, it won't be long before he laps Olamide Zaccheus if he keeps this up.
Winner: Jack Strand
With both Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa sidelined, Jack Strand was thrown into the fire last week. Not only did he take the majority of 11-on-11 snaps over Cooper Rush, he fared pretty well for the most part--completing 13 of his 16 pass attempts across Thursday and Friday's practice session.
Everyone around the Falcons has been singing his praises, and although there were some minor blemishes, you have to credit his command of the offense for an undrafted rookie with no NFL (or D1) experience taking his first reps against a starting defense. The learning curve showed the upside.
Right now, it appears like Strand is the favorite to be the third-string quarterback after taking advantage of the extra reps.
Winner: Mike Hughes
For all of the questions about the Dirty Birds' cornerback rotation, most of those issues have been in the nickel. The Falcons are planning to run it back with A.J. Terrell and Mike Hughes on the outside, and everything in camp so far has been a clear show of faith in Hughes' current status as the CB2.
Hughes had some good reps against Drake London in 1-on-1s late last week, and has still been taking first-team reps on the outside. Right now, it doesn't appear that Avieon Terrell is any danger of taking his job right now, and all of that previous trade speculation has basically gone out the window.
Winner: Harold Perkins Jr.
The Atlanta Falcons drafted one of the steals of the 2026 Draft in Harold Perkins Jr., and it didn't take long for training camp to confirm that notion. Perkins wasted no time sending the LB competition into chaos, as he's reportedly been taking reps alongside Divine Deablo with the first-team defense.
Christian Harris is the current frontrunner to be the LB2, but the more trust this coaching staff invests in the sixth-round rookie, the more promising his future looks. And now that Jalon Walker is out for the year, he may get more looks off the edge--which offers a chance to take on the Kaden Elliss role.
Winner: Sydney Brown
One of the most intriguing additions the Falcons made this offseason was acquiring safety Sydney Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles. And for as much as Atlanta plans to use him as their third safety behind Xavier Watts and Jessie Bates, that's not the only plan they have for their new defensive back.
The Falcons are embarking on a position battle at the nickel cornerback spot, and Brown has shined as a key part of it. He should be able to beat out Woods, Holmes, and Avieon Terrell for the job, especially since Jeff Ulbrich wants every excuse to get a player with Brown's versatility on the field.
Loser: Avieon Terrell
Aside from Monday's practice (which was probably his best of the summer(, it's been tough sledding for Avieon Terrell. The second-round rookie was primarily been working with the second and third-team defense, and given all of the names the Falcons are considering at nickel, it's not ideal for him.
Terrell was flagged at least twice in Saturday's practice as well, so while his physicality can be a blessing, right now it's been a curse for him in coverage. Until he starts to generate more consistency, it might take a bit for him to crack the starting lineup--even though the long-term upside is there.
It might sound unfair to label a guy who has gotten better with every practice an early loser, but I'm confident that he won't be in this section in a few week's time.
Loser: Christian Harris
We spoke a little bit about Christian Harris earlier, but the point still stands. The Falcons were giving him most of the first-team reps at inside linebacker during minicamp and through the first couple days of training camp, and while he fared well, it didn't stop Atlanta from opening the competition.
The 25-year-old has seen both Perkins Jr. and fourth-round rookie Kendal Daniels start competing with him for snaps. And while it seems like he's still the current favorite, the higher-upside options could flip this competition on its head.
Loser: Michael Penix Jr.
You can't have a training camp losers list without listing Michael Penix Jr., even if it isn't his fault. Penix's has yet to be cleared from his ACL tear, and reports suggest it could still be another three weeks until he's cleared for full contact--which will effectively end his hopes of being the starter come Week 1.
The 26-year-old has still had some good moments in 7-on-7--especially across the last two practices where drops have hurt--but he lost the quarterback battle before it could ever truly begin. Tua Tagovailoa is destined to start Week 1, especially now that he's a full go in the team period.
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