It feels like forever ago that the Atlanta Falcons trotted out Cooper Rush as their starting quarterback, and thank god for that fact. The Falcons were desperate at QB with both Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa sidelined to start the year, so they had to turn to Rush until Penix returned.
Rush started the first two games of the season for Atlanta, in which they went 0-2, averaged just eight points per game, and ranked dead last in the NFL in offensive EPA per play. And he was so bad it took just seven quarters to bench him in favor of undrafted rookie Jack Strand in Week 2 vs. Carolina.
Rush was downright awful, throwing four picks in a little less than two games, so once Penix and Tua returned in Week 3 against the Packers, he returned to the role they envisioned for him as the emergency QB. However, his struggles made it clear that his days with the team would be numbered.
And judgement day has finally come. After Adam Schefter reported that the Falcons were signing Andy Dalton to be their new third-string QB after his release from Philadelphia, Ian Rapoport reported that Rush's release would be the corresponding move for Atlanta in a long-overdue development,
Frankly, it's a surprise that the Falcons didn't cut the 32-year-old or demote him to the practice squad sooner, but I digress. He wasn't seeing the field anyways, so there's nothing to complain about here, but after the disaster that was the first two weeks, it's nice to know this experiment is officially over.
The Atlanta Falcons are releasing Cooper Rush after signing Andy Dalton
It's weird that Kevin Stefanski and the Falcons opted to roster four quarterbacks for as long as they did, but given they signed another QB to replace Rush, it's clear they don't see the 4-QB approach as a mistake. If anything, they're staying prepared knowing Penix is a bit banged up with his rib issue.
And if he were to miss time, it's evident the Dirty Birds don't trust him or Tagovailoa to take over. That's where Dalton comes in. The 38-year-old has 169 career starts to his name, including 36 since leaving the Bengals, and has proven to be a more-than-capable backup option in recent years.
The three-time Pro Bowler was Bryce Young's backup for the last couple seasons in Carolina, he backed up Dak Prescott in Dallas, and had quality stints in Chicago and New Orleans. So though his only pass attempt of the season was an interception, the Red Rifle is still more reliable. The Eagles cut him and wanted to bring him back but he declined, so it's not like he's on the verge of retirement.
You tell me who you trust more as a third-string QB: a guy with over 160 career starts or someone with 18 interceptions in as many career starts. The choice is obvious here. This is an upgrade that makes it worth replacing Rush as the emergency QB3, especially with Penix hurt and Tua struggling.
While Andy Dalton isn't a world-beater at this stage of his career, the Falcons don't need him to be. The bar is be better than Cooper Rush, who was an absolute atrocity in Atlanta, and his signing suggests they trust him to do so and possibly take over the backup job.
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