With Michael Penix Jr. dealing with a rib injury, the Atlanta Falcons aren't looking to take any chances at quarterback. Penix is playing through the issue and isn't in any sort of danger of missing time despite a brief stay in the medical tent, but that doesn't mean they don't want any insurance.
On Monday morning, the Falcons signed three-time Pro Bowler Andy Dalton, and released Cooper Rush in a corresponding move. That's a major upgrade for that QB3 spot, but from where I'm sitting, it seems like Dalton could be in the mix to steal the backup job away from the struggling Tua Tagovailoa.
It'd be easy for Atlanta to just roll with Tagovailoa as their primary backup, especially with Penix not at 100% right now, but the Dalton signing indicates that's not what Kevin Stefanski wants. They want to use the Red Rifle as competition to push Tua so he can earn back the trust of this coaching staff .
However,, after Tagovailoa threw a brutal game-losing pick in the overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5, it started to become clear that the Falcons don't trust him very much. In his first snaps in lieu of Penix, he proved that the turnover issues that plagued him in Miami are still there.
Even defenses aren't scared of him. In Week 6 against the Bears, he was warming up but the Dirty Birds never turned to him. This was supposed to be a QB battle, but ever since he returned, he hasn't taken any real first-team reps, and now we're at the point where his status as the backup could be in jeopardy too.
Andy Dalton could steal the Falcons' QB2 job away from Tua Tagovailoa
The Falcons didn't sign Andy Dalton to let him be the emergency third QB, even if he is a big upgrade over Rush. After getting cut by the Philadelphia Eagles, he declined to return to Philly despite being wanted back, which feels like he was holding out for a backup job and not a third-string opportunity.
And given Tua Tagovailoa has given this staff no reason to trust him to start god forbid Penix goes down, it explains exactly why they signed Dalton in the first place. The 38-year-old has almost 170 career starts under his belt, and even at this stage could run this offense better than Tagovailoa.
This sounds like once the three-time Pro Bowler is up to speed with this offense, he could be the backup, which would make sense. He was a quality backup to Bryce Young with the Panthers, and also had stints as a backup with the Cowboys, Saints, and Bears--and started games for all of them.
Tagovailoa has already been floated in trade rumors for Atlanta, and if they keep losing as the deadline nears, they could field offers for him--though I doubt he has any real trade value or anyone else wants him. But given he's on a minimum contract, moving on from him would be quite easy.
But Dalton could step in as the QB2 with no issue, and Jack Strand could be a fine third-stringer on gamedays. There is no need to keep four quarterbacks when you obviously don't trust him, and having someone like the Red Rifle tow should make it a lot easier for the Falcons to cut Tua loose.
Tua Tagoovailoa has awful decision-making, he can't stay healthy, and he's never had elite arm talent, so it's no surprise that the Falcons no longer trust him. And by signing Andy Dalton, it sounds like they're admitting fault on this signing and are finally ready to consider moving on from the veteran.
He clearly doesn't have it anymore, so it should be time for him to retire.
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