With Tua, Penix sidelined, undrafted rookie QB getting first-team reps with Falcons

Training camp is an opportunity for long shots and feel-good stories to make their names, and there might be no lesser-known quarterback receiving first-team reps than Jack Strand.

With the Atlanta Falcons’ top two quarterbacks, Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr., held out of full-team practice on Thursday, Strand found himself handing off to Bijan Robinson and throwing to the likes of Drake London and Kyle Pitts.

Not bad for an undrafted rookie who less than a year ago was facing Division-II defenses at Minnesota State Moorhead.

When the Falcons opened camp, Tagovailoa was dealing with some back tightness and Michael Penix Jr. not yet cleared for full-team activities, it left Strand as the only fully healthy quarterback on the roster after the team released Trevor Siemian with a non-football injury designation.

"I didn't think about it too much," Strand told the Falcons’ official website. "I'm coming into training camp and everything just trying to take it day by day. Keep attacking every day. Keep getting better every day. Whether I'm getting a bunch of reps or I'm not getting as many reps. Whatever reps that I do get, whether it's in Indy, whether it's in RVA, whether it's in team, anything, I'm just going to try to attack those reps and try to keep getting with those. And then also from watching the guys around me."

The Falcons were so short of arms on Thursday, in fact, that President of Football Matt Ryan stepped up to deliver some passes to receivers. No, Ryan isn’t a QB option this season, head coach Kevin Stefanski joked, and it remains to be seen if Strand even will be.

But for now, this relatively unknown quarterback is getting his chance to shine.

Who is Jack Strand?

Strand went through the 2026 NFL Draft process after a record-breaking career with the Dragons, finishing his career with 13,161 yards — the 10th-most passing yards in Division-II history — and 126 touchdown passes in 42 games.

Despite possessing a big frame (6-foot-5, 240 pounds) and a quality arm and regarded as a smart, tough competitor, Strand went undrafted. He played at the American Bowl, a lesser pre-draft event, and wasn’t invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, but Strand had some fans in the scouting community. The Falcons signed him as one of their first priority free agents following the draft and gave him a respectable signing bonus — reportedly $262,500 in guaranteed money.

Clearly, Strand’s level of competition was concerning. Scouts also noted that his somewhat funky, three-quarters throwing delivery and lower-body mechanics might require some tweaking. He was also dinged for being a bit limited athletically, even as he was able to break a lot of tackles against DII defenders.

Strand, who turned 22 years old last week, still faces an uphill battle for a roster spot in Atlanta, especially after they signed veteran Cooper Rush following Siemian’s release. But there might be enough intrigue in his game — and a decent opportunity with all of Atlanta’s health questions — for Strand to carve out a spot on the Falcons’ practice squad, at the very least.

Sorting out Atlanta’s quarterback situation

There appears to be a runway for Tagovailoa to claim the job once he’s fully cleared to return after missing Day 1 of camp and being limited on Day 2 on Thursday. He appears to be the best fit in the timing-rhythm passing game Stefanski is bringing to Atlanta. Assuming Tagovailoa’s back injury doesn’t continue flaring up, he’s expected to join his teammates on the field in the near future.

Penix has been cleared for individual work, but not yet for 11-on-11 duty. He’s coming off the torn left ACL suffered in Week 11 of the 2025 season, which was Penix’s third torn ACL after suffering two of those injuries in college. He’s a little more than eight months removed from surgery, and Penix said that he could return soon but that he could be held back for as much as four more weeks before he’s cleared for 11-on-11.

That opens the door for Rush and Strand to impress the new staff. Rush clearly has the experience edge, starting 16 games over his nine-year NFL career with the Cowboys and Ravens, although he struggled in two starts with Baltimore last season.

Strand’s most likely path to making it in Atlanta (or elsewhere) would include a stop on the practice squad unless he can beat out Rush. But if Tagovailoa or Penix were to suffer a setback or land on injured reserve, there might be a job open on the active roster.

We should know more about all of the quarterbacks by the time the Falcons line up for their preseason opener against the Broncos on Aug. 14. And depending on where they are — especially Penix — it should give us an idea of just how likely Strand’s chances are.

For now, Strand is a feel-good preseason story. But there could be an opportunity for him to earn his spot in the league, and it’s about as good a chance as an undrafted rookie QB could hope for.