The Atlanta Falcons were the talk of the first night of the 2024 NFL Draft. While many mocked an edge rusher to them in the first round, they shocked the NFL world and took quarterback Michael Penix Jr. This was after signing Kirk Cousins to a massive contract in free agency. The move has been panned by fans and analysts, but there is a reason why they did it.
Atlanta Falcons: The Case For The Pick
66 quarterbacks started a game last year in the NFL. There are only 32 teams in the NFL, meaning the average number of quarterback teams that started throughout the year was over two. Injuries were a big part of the reason for this, as Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, Anthony Richardson, Joe Burrow, and Justin Herbert all had their seasons end prematurely. However, there was definitely bad quarterback play. Rookies Clayton Tune and Dorian Thompson-Robinson had their chance but did not do much.
The Atlanta Falcons know there is a good chance they will need to start their backup quarterback in the next couple of seasons. Instead of rolling the dice with anyone, the team decided to bring in a quarterback who has a lot of experience in big games.
Kirk Cousins Health Unknown
The other case for the Atlanta Falcons making this pick is the health of Kirk Cousins, which is unknown. We are assuming he will come back from his Achilles injury, but that is far from a guarantee. It would be heartbreaking if Cousins wasn’t right, and they had to go back to subpar quarterback play. Look what happened to the Jets last year.
The reasons are there to take Penix with the pick. However, there are plenty of reasons against it as well.
Atlanta Falcons: The Case Against
Spending the eighth overall pick on the fourth quarterback in the draft is madness. Many don’t have an issue with the Atlanta Falcons taking Penix. It was where they took him. They had a massive need on the defensive line and chose to pass on the top prospects. This team made it clear they are trying to win now with the Cousins signing and made a pick that is completely against that mantra.
The team gave Cousins $100 million guaranteed. If they were going to go with Penix anyway, what was the purpose of paying out all that money? Penix will sit for a couple of years, and hopefully, he develops to become the future. This is another flaw in the argument.
Timeline Issues
I am not one who is concerned about Michael Penix Jr.’s age. 24 years old is plenty of time to have a successful NFL career. However, if he sits for two years, he won’t be the starter until he is 26. This means he is likely only good for one, maybe two contracts as the full time starter. This is bad value. If he was a second or third round pick, this is great value but not at eighth overall.
The timeline doesn’t add up. With so many other holes on the roster, the Atlanta Falcons decided to pick a player who they do not plan to play for the next two years. Only time will tell whether this comes back to haunt them.
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