The Falcons have identified their de facto third-string quarterback. Following their Taylor Heinicke trade, the Falcons added Nathan Peterman to their practice squad.
This will be Peterman’s fifth NFL team and second stop in the NFC South. Spending this offseason in New Orleans, the well-traveled reserve QB has been with the Bills, Raiders and Bears as well. He will step in behind Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. as an emergency third-stringer, as Atlanta’s 53-man roster houses two QBs.
Still probably best known for his rough game outings with the Bills early in his career, Peterman has made a career out of third-string work and occasional game cameos. Most recently, the 2017 Buffalo draftee was with Las Vegas. But Antonio Pierce‘s team moved on, keeping their two training camp QB1 competitors (Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell). The Raiders are not currently carrying a P-squad QB.
Peterman, 30, is 1-4 as a starter. His most recent outing came in Week 18 of the 2022 season, as the Bears parked Justin Fields for a finale that secured them the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. Peterman has a 4-to-13 career TD-INT ratio. The enduring taxi squad presence, however, continues to find opportunities. Peterman’s initial Raiders stint, during the Jon Gruden years, lasted for more than three seasons. He spent the 2022 and ’23 campaigns with the Bears, vacillating between P-squad arm and active-roster reserve. The Saints signed Peterman in March but cut him in early August.
The Falcons traded Heinicke to the Chargers for a conditional sixth-round pick. Heinicke, who took a pay cut this offseason, had not expected to make the Falcons’ 53-man roster for a second year. To make room on its P-squad, Atlanta released veteran tackle Julie’n Davenport. A 32-game starter, Davenport has not seen game action since 2021.
