With OTAs underway, the Atlanta Falcons are starting to get a glimpse at obvious position battles and players who could be on the bubble. This sets us up to look at notable names who could be in danger of losing their starting roles due to offseason additions, injuries, regression, or a combination of all of the above. Leading us to start with a defender who is yet to prove he can consistently stay healthy and play at the expected level.
1. Troy Andersen
While the Falcons did lose Kaden Elliss to free agenct, there is still no guarantee that Andersen is going to return to a starting role. The linebacker has shown flashes of capability, but isn't able to stay healthy, leaving Atlanta with every reason to shift the defender into a lesser role and lean on more reliable pieces. It is going to take a great OTAs and camp performance for the Falcons to rethink the obvious decision when it comes to the linebacker.
For Andersen, there are not only questions about your consistency on the field, but also questions about whether you're able to stay on the field at all. With this in mind, the defender is facing an immense level of pressure to fight his way into a meaningful role.
2. Jahan Dotson
There are two starting roles for Olamide Zaccheaus, Dotson, and Zachariah Branch. It is going to be incredibly difficult to hold off Branch based on the unknown upside of the rookie and obvious fan excitement. Zaccheaus offers the advantage of having played in Atlanta previously and offering more consistent recent production than Dotson. These two factors combined put the pass catcher on the hot seat before he has ever taken a meaningful snap for the Falcons.
Furthering this case is the fact that after two seasons of surpassing 500 yards with the Washington Commanders, Dotson was sent to Philadelphia to be the team's third option at the position and promptly watched his production fall off a cliff. If Dotson is going to remain in the starting lineup, it will take an incredibly strong performance throughout the summer.
3. Michael Penix Jr.
Penix is yet to put together a string of starts that undeniably give the Falcons reason to hand the quarterback the starting job. While Penix remains the team's best chance of finding a long-term answer, everything about the quarterback's potential fit and future remains hypothetical. The Falcons have brought in an experienced starter who is already garnering a lot of early attention due to his accuracy.
This is a concern for Penix, who is attempting to work his way back from a season-ending injury and is going to need a huge summer performance to hold onto a starting role. It will be interesting to watch how the battle plays out and who has the advantage heading into the preseason.
4. Mike Hughes
Inconsistency and coverage busts have defined the tenure of Hughes, making it clear that the door is open for a change. The selection of Avieon Terrell drove this home with the Falcons now having a potential starting trio of both Terrell brothers and nickel corner Billy Bowman to lean on. Hughes is going to need to consistently outshine the younger Terrell if he doesn't want this to be the case.
While this might hold off the inevitable, there doesn't seem to be any doubt that Terrell is going to take over a starting role. The only question is whether or not Hughes can put together a consistent enough of a summer performance to hold onto the role heading into the 2026 season.
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