The New Orleans Saints are having a strong start to free agency's legal tampering period in preparation for Tyler Shough's second season. The Atlanta Falcons, on the other hand, will always be the Falcons. They kicked off free agency by making a deal with Tua Tagovailoa. It's a deal that feels like a swing and a miss for Atlanta.
Tagovailoa is coming off a 2025 campaign that wasn't kind to the former Miami Dolphin. It's the type of move that slam the door on Michael Penix Jr. being the starter next season. It does feel awfully like Daniel Jones joining the Indianapolis Colts, however. Both were former starters who flamed out in their first stop.
One benefit this gives the Falcons is the opportunity to have two lefty quarterbacks in the building. If one of them is injured, then the offense doesn't have to change as much. There is a benefit in that akin to having a mobile backup when your starter frequently uses his legs.
Falcons and Saints are headed in two drastically different directions at quarterback.
Let's get address the elephant in the room. The Falcons swept the Saints in 2025. Both of those wins came with Kirk Cousins starting though, so it's null in void in this conversation. Ironically, Penix hasn't faced the Saints at all in his two year career. Cousins was still the starter when the Saints and Falcons faced off in 2024. Last season, Penix tore his ACL a week before the rivals played for the first time.
Stefanski didn't fully commit to a healthy Penix before Tagovailoa entered the picture. Penix, obviously, has to be healthy for a training camp competition, but it doesn't seem like a stretch to expect a Penix vs. Tua battle next year. Neither one of those options are the most confidence inspiring.
You compare that to where the Saints are sitting this offseason. They're making moves to fortify the offense around what could be their quarterback of the future. The approaches look different, because the teams are in different spots.
The Saints may have finished last in the division, but they have the most optimism around them. The only competition for that would be the Panthers. Quarterback is a big reason why. While Falcons fans are wondering who is the lesser of two evils between Penix and Tagovailoa, the Saints will be hoping for a continuance of Shough's rookie campaign.