Falcons
The Falcons are expected to have a QB competition between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa, but Penix has yet to be fully cleared from ACL surgery. NFL insider James Palmer believes Tagovailoa is a front-runner “with an asterisk” and feels it’s still a wide-open race. He thinks Penix could be cleared by the start of camp, which would essentially even the race between the two.
“Even though it’s wide open, Tua is kind of the front-runner with an asterisk,” Palmer said, via his social media. “Now, when does Michael Penix Jr. become medically cleared? Now, my understanding is there is a chance he could be medically cleared to participate in full at the start of training camp. If that’s the case — don’t rule that out — that’s a really, really big step for Michael Penix Jr. to really make this as even as possible because that’s really where this stands.”
Palmer hinted there were some factors in Miami near the end of Tagovailoa’s tenure that held him back and won’t be an issue in Atlanta.
“There were some things that transpired in Miami — I was told — towards the end of his time there that will not be factors for him in Atlanta. Some of the things that maybe impacted his play and impacted where he was as a football player that were happening in Miami at the end are not present in Atlanta. So you’re seeing him operate in a system that a lot of people close to him believe is very favorable.”
Saints
- Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes that Saints WRs Devaughn Vele and Ja’Lynn Polk are emerging as depth options behind Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson.
- With Olave missing time in the spring program due to blood clots, Breer reports that New Orleans plans to give Vele and Polk plenty of action this offseason.
Saints
Saints C Erik McCoy was asked about missing 20 games over the past two seasons due to injury and said that he has had a run of unfortunate luck that can happen to any player in a physical game.
“S— just happens,” McCoy said, via Luke Johnson of The Times-Picayune. “It was the luck of the draw, I still stick to that. Healthy, unhealthy. Yes, there are certain things you can do to prepare, but at the end of the day, it’s football, s— happens, and it’s just the luck of the draw.”
“It’s hard as an athlete, but it’s the name of the game,” McCoy continued. “Last year, the play where I tore my bicep was something I’ve done a million times, and I saw people do it a million times after that. It just happened to be that impact angle and, you know, it ended my season. It was tough. But I’m going to keep doing what I can to mitigate those risks and hopefully I’ll be lucky. Hopefully all of us will be lucky, but I want to be lucky, too.”
“There’s always going to be an awareness (of injuries), but you can’t play with an awareness, you know what I mean?” McCoy concluded. “It’s kind of just got to be reckless abandon, and whatever happens happens. I’m going to keep that same mentality. I don’t want to be a guy that plays timid, that plays soft, that plays afraid to get hurt. If I play like that, I should quit football.”
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