FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has not ruled out playing Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. There are just some physical benchmarks he wants to hit first before deciding, he said Wednesday.

"I'm close," Penix said. "I know I've been saying that, but it's just a couple technical things that I want to hit, some goals that I have that I want to achieve before I do step foot out on that field."

Penix has not played since tearing his left ACL in November. He was just cleared for full practices on Aug. 24. Cooper Rush started with Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) also out in a 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday. On Wednesday, Penix split first-team reps with Rush, who is dealing with back spasms.

Penix explained it's taking longer because this is his third ACL surgery -- he had two on his right knee in college -- and doctors used a quad graft because his patella tendons were already used. "So, I got more done to my knee than [Mahomes] got," Penix said. "Mentally, I want to go play, but I'm not going to go out there if I don't feel where I need to be physically."