Falcons

Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. says he is doing everything he can to get his knee back to full health prior to the start of the regular season and doesn’t have a timeline for doing so despite competing for the starting job.

“I’m not really chasing a timeline. I’m just chasing trying to be better every day,” Penix said, via Pro Football Talk. “Each and every day I get out there, I look forward to being better than I was the day before. That comes with obviously just the reps, time on task, and also just what I’m doing in the rehab and the treatment room as well, so I can get to where I want to be.”

“I mentioned it before, I can’t worry about a starting job until I’m worried about getting back on the field,” Penix added. “If I can’t be on the field, how am I going to be the starter? That’s all my focus is right now — just trying to get back and get healthy so that whenever that time comes, then we can talk about the whole starter thing, but that’s not my focus right now. I’m just getting stronger and getting more confident in my knee and everything. My body has been feeling really good. I’m hitting all my weight goals and making sure I’m taking my diet seriously. I’m doing everything I can to help my knee get better faster. I’m definitely better than where I was last week.”

Falcons

Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa said on NFL Network that he continues to compete with QB Michael Penix despite the fact that both players are still nursing their respective injuries.

“I view it as a competition. I understand he can’t take some team reps right now because of what he’s going through, but he’s still being able to compete in seven-on-seven; he’s still able to go through some plays,” Tagovailoa said, via Pro Football Talk. “It’s definitely a competition.”

“Nothing too serious, just a caution kind of thing where we’re not rushing it. It was just a flare-up, nothing big, not anything long-term. We’ll be fine,” Tagovailoa added when asked about his back.  

Panthers

• Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer writes that Panthers WR Xavier Legette lost weight over the offseason and is looking faster, running downfield routes better, and catching the ball more consistently than he did at this point last year.
•  With OLB Pat Jones, Kaye notes that he could receive a lot of work on early downs opposite Jaelan Phillips. Kaye thinks Jones showed he can move around the front seven last season before suffering a season-ending injury. 
• On obvious passing downs, Kaye believes Jones could be replaced by Princely Umanmielen or Thomas Incoom, and then move inside in speed packages. 
• As for how WR John Metchie has looked in training camp, Kaye writes that he hasn’t been overly impressive, but he also hasn’t been terrible. Kaye has Metchie behind Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker and Legette, while David Moore, Brycen Tremayne and Ja’seem Reed have each made “several more memorable plays.”
• Kaye also points out that Metchie doesn’t have any experience as a return specialist. In the end, he thinks it’s difficult to see where Metchie fits on the active roster, unless Carolina wants a backup slot receiver.
• Kaye thinks Reed has a chance to make the active roster, given HC Dave Canales acknowledged that he can play all three receiver positions. Kaye also feels that Reed’s play in training camp speaks for itself and is making at least three impressive plays each practice. 
• At tight end, Kaye writes that Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans make sense as primary tight ends in 11 personnel formations, given they can both block and catch well.
• As for Ja’Tavion Sanders, Kaye thinks he needs to prove that he can be a mismatch against linebackers and safeties in 12 personnel sets as a receiving threat. Kaye points out that he can also be used as a big slot receiver.