The Atlanta Falcons made a surprising selection, taking former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Among those shocked by the selection was their current starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins.
The Falcons called Cousins when they were on the clock to let him know they were taking Penix, said his agent, Mike McCartney. Athleticism. When Cousins signed with the team this offseason, the Falcons told him they would draft a quarterback in the later rounds of this draft. He was stunned when they took one in the first round, and Cousins’ biggest concern is that this pick doesn’t help the team for the upcoming season.
Part of the reason Atlanta chose Penix is because it believes he won’t have the top pick in upcoming drafts with Cousins at center for the next few years, an insider said. ‘team. Athleticism.
The Falcons signed Cousins this offseason to a four-year contract worth $180 million, including $100 million guaranteed. The 35-year-old quarterback is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in Week 8 of last season. Cousins said during his introductory press conference in March that he could take drops and make passes, but if added, “I think the minute I would have to leave the pocket, that’s where you’d say, “Yeah, he’s still recovering from an Achilles. .’”
Reviews varied on Penix
I didn’t think the Falcons would use the eighth pick on Penix, that’s for sure, but I think Penix was a really interesting prospect in this draft.
Two former head coaches with strong track records were among the people I spoke with during the draft process who had Penix as the No. 2 quarterback in this draft, behind Caleb Williams. It seems that very few people agree with this assessment.
My feeling during Super Bowl week was that Penix would be gone in the middle of the first round, but the recent chatter surrounding him has made me feel like that’s a stretch. With quarterbacks, there can be a lot of volatility. If a team likes one, they should take it. And when teams already feel like they’re in a good position, they just don’t pick them most of the time. This is how someone like Penix can leave earlier than expected while Aaron Rodgers waits longer than expected. — Mike Sando, National NFL Writer
Required reading
(Photo: Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
