Now that Michael Penix Jr. is out for the remainder of this season, the Atlanta Falcons have some difficult decisions to make. The 25-year-old's partially torn ACL has an estimated nine-month recovery time, so there's a real chance he's not ready in time to start in Week 1 of the 2026 season.
For the final seven games of this season, Kirk Cousins will operate as Atlanta's starting quarterback, but there's no guarantee he's on the roster next season. The Dirty Birds have an opportunity to get out of the 37-year-old's bank-breaking contract, so choosing not to will likely tie them up financially.
However, in the wake of the Penix news, Raheem Morris knows it'll affect the Falcons' plan at quarterback, in both the short-term and the long-term. While he admitted they'll cross that bridge when they get to it, adequate insurance is certainly going to be a luxury in Atlanta going forward.
So with that being said, the Falcons need to look into adding these four quarterbacks to help soften the blow if Penix's recovery takes longer than expected.
Falcons need to bring in of those 5 quarterbacks as insurance behind Michael Penix Jr.
Mac Jones, San Franciso 49ers
There haven't been many quarterbacks who have done more to help their standing in NFL circles this season than Mac Jones. He's enjoying his Sam Darnold-like resurgence in San Francisco, and fans continue to overlook the fact he took the New England Patriots to the playoffs in his rookie season.
In eight starts, he's gone 5-3 while his 69.6% completion rate marked a career-high. He's turned out to be exactly what Kyle Shanahan expected, so he could be the perfect bridge starter while playing with some elite weapons in Atlanta. And he wouldn't be overly expensive to trade for.
Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
Since being drafted No. 4 overall by the Indianapolis Colts back in 2023, Anthony Richardson has been one of the most disappointing quarterbacks in the NFL. Daniel Jones has permanently supplanted him as the starter for the Colts, which means the 23-year-old is a legit trade candidate.
The red flags with both his accuracy and processing provide genuine cause for concern, but Richardson's physical tools are undeniable. Maybe a scenery change with the Falcons could be exactly what his career needs to get back on track.
Zach Wilson, Miami Dolphins
On the topic of New York Jets draft busts, look no further. Wilson has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in his career, but he was also immediately exiled to begin his career on the Jets. He's currently backing up Tua Tagovailoa in Miami, but could end up becoming a starter again soon.
The former No. 2 overall pick has forged a solid career as a backup, and is expected to be a free agent once again this offseason. If the Dirty Birds sign the ex-BYU star, he would be aided by the best supporting cast of his young career, which could see him enjoy a Jones-like resurgence to his career.
Kenny Pickett, Las Vegas Raiders
At this point I might have to re-name this list to "Draft Busts Anonymous". Pickett is another signal-caller who has emerged into a quality backup, as he's currently backing up the struggling Geno Smith with the Las Vegas Raiders, but it wouldn't be surprising if he was named the starter any time soon.
The 2022 first-round pick from Pitt might not be perfect, but he boasts a 15-10 record as a starter and has quality experience from his time in both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It's not glamorous, but you could do far worse than a few weeks of the Super Bowl-winning QB if Penix is sidelined.
Justin Fields, New York Jets
Last but most certainly not least is the man who was just benched by the New York Jets. Justin Fields' career as an NFL starter has been a true roller coaster, and it saw him get cast off by the third consecutive team after taking college football by storm at Ohio State.
Like Richardson, the concerns about both his processing and accuracy are real, as is the former first-round pick's 16-37 record as a starter. However, the experience of the 26-year-old is worth taking a gamble on for a team that is desperate to continue the lineage of reviving QB's careers with Penix hurt.