The Atlanta Falcons have struggled to find success since the departure of Hall Of Fame Quarterback Matt Ryan in 2021. They addressed this inconsistency in the 2024 offseason by signing reliable 35-year-old quarterback Kirk Cousins for 180 million dollars (100 million guaranteed), despite the fact he tore his Achilles mid-way through the 2023 season. There are questions on whether Kirk can lead a team to a Superbowl, but there are no questions on whether Kirk Cousins can play the quarterback position efficiently in the NFL.
Given the pace he was on, Cousins would have been an MVP candidate in 2023 with the Minnesota Vikings. The Falcons clearly believe in his abilities post-injury given the massive contract offered to him. Despite this, he is still a 35-year-old quarterback coming off of an Achilles tear. And, in a quarterback draft class that was one of the most highly rated of all time, the Atlanta Falcons took a leap of faith in the quarterback they liked. To many people’s dismay, they did this with the 8th overall pick in the NFL Draft.
Atlanta Falcons Draft Michael Penix Jr. Early In NFL Draft
Michael Penix was a premier quarterback in his 2023 season with the Washington Huskies, leading his team to the National Championship with the most pass attempts and passing yards in the CFB. Despite beginning his college career with numerous season-ending injuries including ACL tears and shoulder problems, his final two years with the Huskies sported a clean injury history.
The experience and ability of a pure pocket passer, avoiding sacks with savvy ability and willingness to let go of the ball, elite arm strength, a quick release, and developed as a progression reader, on top of untapped potential as a scrambler. There are many traits to fall in love with despite his older age for a rookie quarterback (24). The Atlanta Falcons seemed to have been swooned, selecting him eighth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
With the 8th pick in the 2024 @NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select Michael Penix Jr.! #NFLDraft: NFLN, ABC, ESPN pic.twitter.com/o99tXbilG5
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) April 26, 2024
The Genius Of The Atlanta Falcons QB Room
The Atlanta Falcons took a different draft strategy for the 2024 NFL draft that nobody expected. Despite committing to Kirk Cousins for what appears to be four years, the Atlanta Falcons used premium draft capital on the future of their franchise as opposed to the present. From the broadcast to social media, people have been calling this a massive miss-step. Though, on a deeper look, it secures the Falcons in an impressive way.
With an out in Kirk Cousins contract after year three, unless the Falcons make a deep playoff run under Cousins, that will be the likely departure for the veteran quarterback. Penix will be 27 by the beginning of the 2027 NFL season, which potentially causes questions if Penix was a running quarterback, but given his pure pocket passer playstyle, this will only help him develop his feel and routine for the NFL life/playstyle.
For context, Kirk Cousins was 24 years old at the time of his drafting to the Washington Commanders (then Redskins) and did not start consistently until three seasons later. Phillip Rivers was 23 at the time of his drafting and sat for three seasons to begin his career. Tony Romo was about 23 years old during the Dallas Cowboys selection, sitting for three years before his start. With an extensive history of successful NFL quarterbacks becoming a starter at 26+, the Atlanta Falcons are following a formula that has been established.
Given the Atlanta Falcons have confidence in their current roster to compete at a high level today with Kirk Cousins, the selection pairs perfectly with their timeline with players like tight end Kyle Pitts (23), wide receiver Drake London (22), and cornerback AJ Terrell (25). The Atlanta Falcons have the potential to run the NFC South for 10+ years. Such potential could have only been realized by the selection of a first-round quarterback this year, as they will likely not have obtained a top-10 selection until after the end of Kirk Cousins’ contract.
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