FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — For the first time in his road to recovery from a season-ending knee injury last season, Michael Penix Jr. participated in full-team work during Monday’s practice.
Though Penix had been cleared to do just about everything aside from 11-on-11 work up to this point, this was still a major milestone for Penix in his personal recovery as well as a key development in the Falcons’ quarterback competition.
“11-on-11 is the closest approximation to football. Those preseason games are games and they’re keeping score. But, certainly 11-on-11 is the closest thing that we have to what we do in the fall,” Kevin Stefanski said. “This is a big step for Mike, and he’s excited for it.”
Through a few team periods, Penix and Tagovailoa rotated in with the first-team offense. By my count, Penix got an extra three or so plays of 11-on-11, running with the 1s and 2s through the first team period, but beyond that reps were very even as the practice neared its end.
In the first team period of the day, Penix rotated in with the 2s after Tagovailoa finished his five players with the 1s (all but one of those plays a handoff to Bijan Robinson).
Penix was pressured a little through his first couple drop backs, scrambling out of the pocket on the third play and running towards the sideline. With the first-team offensive line rotating in shortly thereafter, Penix was able to hit Drake London over the middle for a nice gain. The team followed that up with a jet sweep via Zachariah Branch.
The highlight of the entire day, however, came in the next team period, when Tagovailoa and Penix each had six plays a piece with the first team before the offensive and defensive units split to end practice on an install/walk through session.
Tagovailoa had just one attempt through the six plays, an incompletion to London. He scrambled on two drop backs, and handed the ball off three times.
Penix went 3-for-4 when he rotated in with the first team, hitting Kyle Pitts over the middle, and then checking it down to Pitts a couple plays later.
He handed the ball off twice in the period, and tried to hit Jahan Dotson deep as the receiver raced to the left sideline, but didn’t connect.
Penix’s best throw — and arguably the best moment of the day — ended the session as Penix layered a nice ball over A.J. Terrell to hit London right in stride.
