Falcons' Michael Penix Jr. set for ACL reconstruction surgery - ESPN

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris acknowledged last week that Atlanta now must begin to make alternative quarterback plans for the 2026 season with Michael Penix Jr. about to undergo surgery to have his ACL reconstructed.

Penix is expected to undergo surgery this week in Los Angeles, and his recovery is expected to be about nine months, sources told ESPN.

If the nine-month period holds up, Penix potentially could be ready for the start of the 2026 season, but there are no certainties, especially for players who have injured both ACLs.

Players recovering from another ACL surgery sometimes take longer to return, and no one yet knows how Penix's recovery will play out.

But the Falcons do know that while they still have high hopes for Penix and are counting on him to return, they cannot say when that will be — and they will have to address the quarterback position this offseason.

«You do, 100 percent,» Morris told reporters last week. «You definitely have to go out and make some different plans when you talk about the offseason, but we'll talk about that and address that when we get there.

»Right now we've got to prepare for the New Orleans Saints, and that's what we'll do. That's always got to be something that's on your mind, regardless, and definitely puts it on your mind a little bit more when this happens."

One option could be Kirk Cousins, who is slated to be Atlanta's starter Sunday at New Orleans.

Cousins technically has two years remaining on his contract, but no more guaranteed money triggering. He is scheduled to make $35 million in base salary in each of the next two seasons — a figure that some around the league would consider high for a player who has not played much dating to last season.

Atlanta could look to