The Atlanta Falcons are stuck in the John Madden quarterback paradox. They have two passers on the roster which means they don't have any passer at all. That was painfully obvious during Saturday's first preseason action when Tua Tagovailoa completed just three of five passes for 22 yards against the Denver Broncos. Last year's starter, Michael Penix Jr., didn't play as he continues to recover from an ACL tear.
It's anyone's guess who will be the Falcons' starter come Week 1 but it seems more likely than not that multiple QBs will touch the field for them during the regular season. Penix and Tagovailoa both have lengthy injury histories and inconsistent performances, making fans glance constantly at the depth chart. That sight doesn't inspire much confidence either.
Third-stringer Cooper Rush tossed two interceptions on Saturday and fourth-stringer Jack Strand, ironically, looked the part of a competent backup. Atlanta may be prudent in looking to acquire an old college town star to shore up its insurance policy.
This Falcons-Rams trade for Stetson Bennett IV reunites Georgia with a local hero
Fans down south will remember fondly the clutch performances of Georgia QB Stetson Bennett IV. He delivered back-to-back national championships for the Bulldogs during his college career but hasn't seemed to be able to breakthrough in the NFL. That's probably a symptom of being a member of the Los Angeles Rams.
Stetson sits behind fellow former Georgia alum and 2025 league MVP Matthew Stafford who hasn't shown any signs of slowing down at 38 years old. There's a huge opportunity to reunite him with the populous that adored him for four years and would welcome him back with open arms. The Falcons wouldn't have to give up much to get him either.
Why the Falcons make this trade
Saturday was just one preseason game but Atlanta hasn't come close to solving its quarterback problem. Tagovailoa was forgettable, Penix isn't healthy yet (yikes) and the shining performance of the day was by an undrafted free agent rookie from Division II Minnesota State-Moorhead. Bennett hasn't played a regular season game but hasn't looked poor whatsoever in the preseason opportunities he's been given the last four years.
Rush needs to go. He's 32 years old and just doesn't have what it takes to hang with NFL offenses anymore. Strand shows promise as a developmental project but you can't thrust him into a starting role should both Tagovailoa and Penix go down with injury. Bennett at least fits the "veteran" definition with a clean slate to lower expectations. Here's what Atlanta's QB room would look like in that situation.
Position | Player |
|---|---|
QB 1 | Tua Tagovailoa |
QB 2 | Michael Penix Jr. |
QB 3 | Stetson Bennett IV |
QB 4 | Jack Strand |
Giving up a seventh-round pick for him is a steal plus he comes with just a $1.3 million salary cap hit. The move would buy the team a boatload of good PR by bringing a guy back to the state he saw the most success in. He's already very familiar with Mercedez-Benz Stadium and won some of his biggest games there. This should be a reclamation no-brainer.
Why the Rams make this trade
Bennett isn't going to start for the Rams as long as Stafford is healthy. Even with Jimmy Garoppolo gone, the team went and drafted Alabama's Ty Simpson in April as the clearest sign it's getting ready to move on from Bennett. Rather than letting him suffer through the Simpson project and then getting released later on, let him have the homecoming he deserves while gaining a draft asset at the same time.
Simpson got the most opportunity during Los Angeles' 20-12 preseason victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. He went 21-for25 and threw for 190 yards with two touchdowns. That's pretty impressive given it's his first NFL action. Bennett, by comparison, only got to throw six passes (four completions) for 38 yards. He could still see more snaps in the next contest but Stafford is going to have to warm up eventually too.
Los Angeles has a more valuable trade asset on its hands than it realizes. Atlanta needs a feel good story right now and the Rams can provide that plus an insurance option. It would be stupid to just let Bennett walk after his rookie contract expires after this year.
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