The Atlanta Falcons have one of the NFL's most talented offensive cores. There’s little debate surrounding that.
In Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame's ranking of the league's best offensive triplets entering the 2026 season, Atlanta's trio of Michael Penix Jr., Bijan Robinson and Drake London landed at 17th in the NFL.
On the surface, that ranking might feel low. But the explanation behind the placement reveals exactly why the Falcons remain one of the NFL's biggest wild cards.
“Much like the Cardinals, the Falcons would be closer to the top 10 if they had a proven quarterback,"Verderame wrote. "As things stand, Atlanta has an All-Pro running back in Robinson, an All-Pro tight end in Kyle Pitts and a 1,000-yard receiver in London, but the offense is dependent upon Penix returning from a third torn ACL or Tua Tagovailoa stepping in as the starter.”
The quarterback situation is the wild card for this Falcons' offense
Bijan Robinson just wrapped up one of the best running back seasons in NFL history. And Drake London just signed a massive four-year, $141 million extension that makes him the third highest paid wide receiver in the NFL at $35.25 million per year.
What Verderame forgot is Kyle Pitts is in the mix too, on the franchise tag, getting his first shot at proving himself under another new coaching staff. The supporting cast isn't the problem. Michael Penix Jr. was back in 7-on-7 drills at OTAs, looking healthier as his goal is to play Week 1.
But the Falcons didn't just wait around. They brought in Tua Tagovailoa for the veteran minimum, and he's been taking first-team reps while Penix works back. Tagovailoa's accuracy has stood out immediately. Kevin Stefanski called accuracy "the most important trait at the position" before OTAs, and Tua's been living up to it.
The thing is, nobody knows yet is whether Tagovailoa is the long-term answer. He's a free agent after this season so if he wins the job and plays well, Atlanta has a major decision on its hands about paying him or moving on.
Now Verderame's ranking isn't a knock on this offense. It's simply a reflection of where things stand right now. The Falcons have an elite running back, a young receiver worth $141 million, but a quarterback room that’s a big question mark.
London put it well when asked about working with multiple quarterbacks over his career. "Whenever they throw the ball," he said, "I try to make them right."
That's the job in Atlanta in 2026. Get the QB situation sorted out, and this triplet climbs the list fast.
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