The Atlanta Falcons spent most of September trying to stabilize their quarterback situation. CBS Sports already has them going right back to the position in 2027.
Atlanta opened the season with Tua Tagovailoa named the starter, only for an oblique injury to keep him out of the first two games. Michael Penix Jr., still working back from last year’s season-ending knee injury, didn’t make his 2026 debut until Week 3.
Now, CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson has the Falcons using the No. 10 overall pick on Oregon quarterback Dante Moore.
Dante Moore Projected to Falcons Despite Slow Start
Moore entered the season as one of the biggest names in the 2027 quarterback class, but the first month hasn’t gone as planned.
“Dante Moore has struggled through the first month of the 2026 season, in part because the offensive line has been awful, in part because his receivers have struggled to get open, and in part because of the vicious headshot he took against USC. But here’s the thing: Highly drafted QBs typically go to teams with poor O-lines, so Moore absolutely needs to play better (we got a brief glimpse of that early in the USC game before he was injured). But he also would have been the No. 2 pick in the 2026 draft had he declared, so it’s not like he’s forgotten how to play. A strong second half of the season puts him right back in the conversation,” Wilson wrote.
Moore has completed 69.7% of his passes for 926 yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions through four games.
His season was interrupted against USC on Sept. 26 when linebacker Desman Stephens II hit Moore in the head as he slid. Moore was taken off on a stretcher and transported to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with a concussion. MRI and CT scans showed no additional injuries.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning has said the Ducks will proceed with “an abundance of caution” regarding Moore’s return.
Wilson noted that Moore likely would have been the second quarterback selected had he entered the 2026 draft rather than returning to Oregon.
Falcons Still Have Michael Penix Jr. Question to Answer
The projection is especially interesting because Atlanta hasn’t had much time to evaluate Penix this season.
The Falcons named Tagovailoa the Week 1 starter after an offseason competition, but his injury opened the door for Cooper Rush to start the first two games while Penix continued recovering from the torn ACL that ended his 2025 season.
Penix finally returned against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 24 and immediately gave Atlanta something to work with.
He completed 18 of 25 passes for 256 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 35-14 win at Lambeau Field. It was Atlanta’s first victory of the season and Penix’s first game action since the knee injury.
That leaves Atlanta with plenty to sort out before anyone can seriously pencil in another first-round quarterback. Penix was the No. 8 overall pick in 2024.
But Wilson’s projection speaks to how unsettled the long-term picture remains.
Atlanta has spent the past few years cycling through expensive and highly drafted quarterback options without finding a permanent answer. Moore would represent another swing, this time on a 6-foot-3, 220-pound passer who entered 2026 with legitimate top-of-the-draft expectations.
For now, the Falcons need to find out what they have in Penix. If they don’t, Moore is exactly the type of quarterback who could put them right back in the market.
Falcons Predicted to Make QB Move For Former No. 2 Pick Candidate