Falcons Rule Out Michael Penix Jr. and Two Others for Week 1

The Atlanta Falcons are already trimming their Week 1 availability list before the season even gets off the ground. Cornerback Billy Bowman, offensive tackle Cam Williams, and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. have all been officially designated as out for the opener.

Ruling out your highly drafted backup quarterback for the first game of the year is certainly a choice. It is the football equivalent of buying a premium fire extinguisher and immediately locking it inside a vault where nobody can reach it.

"ESPN's Marc Raimondi reported the designations on Twitter."

ESPN's Marc Raimondi reported the trio's status, confirming Atlanta will be down some key depth pieces right out of the gate. Missing a rotational defensive back in Bowman and line depth in Williams is standard early-season attrition, but the Penix absence is the one that turns heads.

The Falcons are heading to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers on September 13. Anyone looking at the lines for this game now knows Atlanta is operating without its primary safety net under center. If the starter takes a bad hit against that Steelers defensive front, the backup plan is suddenly a massive question mark.

For now, Atlanta just has to survive the trip to Pennsylvania without tapping into the emergency reserves. We will see if Penix and the rest of the inactive crew can get right for Week 2, or if this is the start of a lingering early-season trend.