Michael Penix Jr.’s knee injury from last season is still the biggest storyline hanging over the Atlanta Falcons this training camp, and that’s not surprising given everything he’s been through since college. But if you listen to what he’s actually saying these days, there’s a real reason for optimism. The catch? Penix himself isn’t in any rush to declare victory.

“Feeling good. Getting better every day,” Penix told reporters Wednesday in a video shared by the team. “It’s just like I expected. Just doing everything I can to get back to where I want to be.”

Penix underwent surgery on November 25 to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. Eight months later, he’s still building his way back to full strength. He won’t put a number on where he stands physically, but the progress has been steady. Penix was also direct about what’s holding him back right now.

“I can do just about anything but take a hit, and that’s what we’re trying to stay away from right now,” he said.

“I’m just getting stronger and getting more confident in my knee and everything,” he said on August 5, per AJC. “My body has been feeling really good. I’m hitting all my weight goals and making sure I’m taking my diet seriously. I’m doing everything I can to help my knee get better faster. I’m definitely better than where I was last week.”

When he came back from the team’s six-week summer break, he still wasn’t cleared for 11-on-11 work. According to Penix, his doctor suggested four more weeks before he’d get the green light.

His optimism got a real boost recently. According to Patrick, Penix’s surgeon told the quarterback, “You have an amazing ACL. You shouldn’t have knee problems again.”

Here’s where things stand in Atlanta. Coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Tua Tagovailoa will start Friday’s preseason opener against Denver. So far, Penix has participated in the 7-on-7s, taking a similar amount of snaps as Tagovailoa, according to The Falcoholic’s Kevin Knight. Even though Stefanski is preparing with the former right now, he is optimistic about Penix’s return.

“I’m very, very confident in where we are with Mike,” Stefanski said. “I think he’s doing a great job. I’m confident in the plan that medical has for Mike, that Mike has in everything we’re asking him to do. I think confidence comes from all of these reps, and when he’s cleared for 11-on-11, confidence comes from those reps as well. Very, very pleased with where Mike is.”

Officially, the door’s still open for Penix to reclaim the job by Week 1. Per Knight, the quarterback looks really healthy, and his not being cleared for 11-on-11s is probably just out of precaution. It is also not uncommon for teams to rest their star players in preseason games, especially if they’re injured. Tagovailoa will continue giving Penix a tough fight, but it’s still an open race in Atlanta.