Strand is an 'intriguing' QB option for Falcons
Mike Florio and Chris Simms dive into how Jack Strand has been impressive throughout training camp and preseason, analyzing a Falcons quarterback room that also includes Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr.
Video Transcript
Pft Live: Monday Edition.
The Falcons wrap up their preseason on Friday night.
They are getting their eighth overall draft pick from 2024 back at 11-on-11 drills.
Michael Penix Jr. Cleared to return following last year's torn ACL.
His latest torn ACL.
Gave Tua Tagovailoa an extended stretch where he was the guy, and frankly, it really hasn't been great.
There was a clip going around from joint practices with the Colts where it was just bad.
It was worse than anything we saw in the preseason game from Tua Tagovailoa.
So now, finally, the competition at quarterback can begin between Penix and Tagovailoa.
Although, you know, I've seen some buzz about this Jack Strand.
What?
What?
I think that, I think, I think that, I think, I think that, I think they, I think the fans may, may, may be willing to consider the possibility of an undrafted rookie named Jack Strand.
Hey, they, they He is intriguing.
I watched it on film.
I've watched them all preseason, 'cause he caught my eye in week one.
We made fun of him at first, 'cause it's Moorhead State, Minnesota, or wherever the hell school he's from.
I didn't study him coming out in the draft.
I didn't go that far down the line.
Bighead.
He went to Bighead State.
Bigheads.
Bighead.
Jack Good old Jack Bighead.
But man, he's got some things.
There's a few guys that were drafted late or undrafted altogether where I'd go, "Eh, their talent's as good as some of these guys that've been drafted in the third and fourth round."
Like, what are we looking at?
He is intriguing.
Good athlete, got a quick release, can really spin it, very accurate, and can throw it with some power.
He has been definitely one of the more impressive young QBs of training camp and the preseason, which has been awesome.
Now, as far as the quarterback, I mean, is there really a competition?
I mean, can they are they really gonna give it to Penix?
I mean, like, this is one where it's like, "No, it's Tua.
He's in the start.
Penix gotta get healthy."
Even though Tua, as we've heard, and, like, you heard, and what you saw, it ain't been anything that, that everybody's gonna go, "Oh gosh, Tua's tearing it up."
Yeah, Tua played like crap last year, and everybody in football, including me, is wondering if he can play good at all, unless he doesn't have Tyreek Hill, Raheem Mostert, Jaylen Waddle, and Mike McDaniel giving him all these amazing plays.
So we're gonna see.
But Penix, I mean, he's got no real team reps during OTAs, and he had to watch that.
He hasn't got real 11-on-11 reps here in training camp.
I can't imagine it being a real competition.
This is Tua's start in week one.
If he plays great, he'll be the starter.
If not, we know we're gonna see Michael Penix at some point when he gets healthy and is ready to go.
I look at Jack Strand's measurables, 6'4", 243.
He's got good-looking body.
And, and let's not forget- Yeah Matt Ryan, Matt Ryan is in charge of football now.
And Matt Ryan has to be looking at their options at quarterback thinking, "What the hell are we gonna do here?"
These are not the kind of quarterbacks, you know, from the standpoint of durability, size, everything.
Neither of these guys have performed at the level that, that a franchise quarterback performs at.
Tua got a franchise quarterback contract, and he did lead the league in passing one year.
But I think Matt Ryan's gonna have a vision for pocket passer, guy who can rip it, guy who can stay healthy.
Yeah.
There's just bad history.
There's bad history with Penix, who predates the current regime, and there's just bad history generally with Tua.
They got him for 1.3 million.
They're not gonna say no to it, because where else were they gonna go?
And I'm not saying Jack Strand should play this year.
I just think that that's a guy to keep an eye on, because I firmly believe their starting quarterback for 2027, he's not on the team right now.
No.
But maybe he is in the form of Jack Strand.
They, they But they Whoever found him deserves some credit.
And when I was watching him yesterday on film, I was going, "Man, did Matt Ryan find him?"
I mean, 'cause he would be, like, Matt Ryan's kinda guy, like you, you would think.
He's got great legs.
He's a good-looking athlete.
He has done enough so far to where you go, "Oh," you know.
This is to me, him and there's a few other guys, where it's like the, the, good We could see, like, the Tyson Bagent story here.
This is where You know what I mean?
Like, "Hey," he's, "Hey, woo, we're intrigued."
Then next year he's the backup.
And then it's like, "Woo, wait, is he gonna go somewhere, and could he start for us?
Could he be a bridge starter for someone else and prove he can do it?"
He's got physical traits to go, "That's an NFL starting quarterback."
And I know it's two preseason games.
I'm not trying to jump the proverbial shark on this one, all right?
But regardless, let's see where it goes, 'cause he is very intriguing and does look like he's got real talent.
It's amazing to think he was at Minnesota State Moorhead his entire career- How?
And there wasn't some NIL offer.
How?
Right.
Yeah.
It's amazing.
That, that's why And that's why we initially poo-pooed- When you hear it, you're right when we looked at the depth chart- Yes like, "This guy was at Minnesota State Moorhead, and nobody ever came calling to get him to a big program?
He must not be, he must not be good enough."
Yeah.
"How did he even get to where he is now?"
But he's, he's And hey, it's a starting point, and no one knows where a guy's ceiling is gonna be, and it may just be clicking for him, and it's just working.
And it's fun.
We love a good story.
That would be a good story, if this guy from Minnesota State Moorhead ends up becoming a starting caliber quarterback in the NFL.
And it would be very good news for the Falcons, because they have not been able to find one since Matt Ryan ultimately was traded to the Colts in 20 What was that?
'22.
That was '22.
Because it was the, the Deshaun Watson thing poisoned the relationship between Baker Mayfield and the Browns, and then it poisoned the relationship between Matt Ryan- Yeah and the Falcons.
That's right.
Right.
Because the Falcons thought they had him before the Browns showed up with $230 million.
Yeah.
So the ripple effects of the Deshaun Watson trade are still being felt in Atlanta.
Let's take a break
