The Atlanta Falcons are making their preseason debut this evening at home against the Denver Broncos. While we won't get to see Denver at full strength (Bo Nix will be sitting out), it is our first opportunity to see what new head coach Kevin Stefanski's Falcons might look like this year.
Here are four players who we will be watching especially close against the Broncos.
QB Tua Tagovailoa
With Michael Penix still not cleared for 11-on-11 work, Atlanta's starting quarterback job has fallen to Tua Tagovailoa by default - at least for now. While he can't match Penix's arm power, Tagovailoa has superior accuracy, and far more experience at this level. If he can establish a good rhythm with Drake London and the other Falcons receivers, it may be difficult for Penix to catch up in this QB competition.
WR Zachariah Branch
Speaking of other Falcons receivers, we will get to see former Georgia wideout Zachariah Branch making his NFL debut. Branch has made some highlight reel deep catches at training camp, but always with Penix throwing the ball his way. To build a rapport with Tagovailoa, he may need to settle in more around the line of scrimmage where the Bulldogs used him so much.
OLB James Pearce Jr.
The Falcons' 2025 sack leader James Pearce is expected to be suspended by the league office at some point, possibly putting him on the sideline for eight or more games. That means the preseason is our best chance to see how much Pearce has improved since his stellar rookie year when he posted 10.5 sacks. A disruptive performance from Pearce would serve as a reminder that the future is bright for the edge rush rotation, even if it looks bleak right now.
LB Christian Harris
One of the big x-factors for Jeff Ulbrich's defense this year will be what they get out of the other linebacker position next to Divine Deablo. First in line is free agent pickup Christian Harris, a third-round pick by Houston back in 2022. He started for the Texans his first two years but has been coming off the bench ever since. Now projected to start again, much will depend on how well Harris performs - especially in coverage.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: 4 Falcons players to watch in Friday's preseason game vs. Broncos