Lucky for the Atlanta Falcons, new head coach Kevin Stefanski is no stranger to facing a QB dilemma. He's handled his fair share of QB drama across six seasons with the Cleveland Browns, but unlike in Cleveland, he's equipped with a young signal-caller with untapped potential in Michael Penix Jr.
The Falcons know Penix can develop into their franchise quarterback, but the first hurdle he needs to clear is consistently staying on the field. He's made just 12 starts and suffered his third ACL tear since high school in November, meaning he's not guaranteed to be back in Week 1 of next season.
Since Kirk Cousins' days in Atlanta are numbered, it's become clear that the Dirty Birds need to address the position in some capacity this offseason. They've been linked to some options they can add via free agency or the draft, but there have also been rumors they could swing a trade at QB.
With Kevin Stefanski taking the Falcons job, does that mean the Browns might now have an actual trade partner for Dillon Gabriel? pic.twitter.com/ZT0N2mzGs1
— The Dawgs - A Cleveland Browns Podcast (@thedawgspodcast) January 18, 2026
Now that they hired Stefanski, there are are some Browns fans who think the Falcons could be a realistic landing spot for Dillon Gabriel, which is preposterous enough to prove this is just unfounded speculation.
The Kevin Stefanski connection isn't enough to push the Falcons to trade for Dillion Gabriel
Jimmy Haslam and Andrew Berry were enamored with Shedeur Sanders, but Stefanski preferred Gabriel until he got hurt and was forced to turn to Shedeur. In six starts, he went 1-5 as the starter, so it makes sense that the Browns may want to trade him, but the Falcons have no reason to want him.
The connection between head coach and quarterback is important, but part of why the 43-year-old took the Atlanta job was to work with Penix. He'll definitely have to add insurance, but more in the form of a Joe Flacco or Trey Lance rather than someone who it would take draft capital to acquire.
The 2025 third-round pick out of Oregon knows the system, but that's the only benefit of acquiring him. It's not like he would push Penix for the starting job, his role wouldbe to play if his rehab takes longer than expected. But in all honesty, his stint as a starter proves he's not a starter-worthy QB.
However, a move like this happening is highly unlikely. Gabriel is a fine backup for either team and would only take a sixth or seventh-round pick to acquire, but giving up on a QB you spent a Day 2 pick on is a huge mistake, especially since they haven't found their franchise quarterback yet.
As for Stefanski, he thrives with coaching QBs, and Matt Ryan will ensure they get it right regardless of whether or not Penix is the future.