One story that is going to dominate headlines from training camp until a conclusion is reached will be the Michael Penix, Kirk Cousins saga for the Falcons.
The dynamic is going to be closely monitored because Atlanta unprecedently signed Cousins to a $180 million free agent deal then immediately turned around and drafted his successor in Penix.
It has all the makings to be a toxic situation, but the Falcons have to be confident they can navigate it because of the two quarterbacks’ character.
Penix has been heralded for his physical ability, and it’s easy to see why at rookie minicamp. He’s got all of the arm talent in the world. That’s not what Raheem Morris and the Falcons fell in love with, though.
What sold Atlanta on Penix was his intangibles, and there might not be a better person to learn behind than Kirk Cousins. He’s a consummate professional and will be an ideal role model for the rookie to learn under, and if any Falcons fans were worried about a Brett Favre–Aaron Rodgers-type relationship, you can rest easy.
When asked about it, Penix told Atlanta media that Cousins was happy to see him and have him there in Atlanta.
Nobody should be surprised. Kirk Cousins may have been shocked initially, like many of us, but he was always going to fall in line as most professionals do. The Falcons know the kind of guy they have in Cousins, so that surely made them even more confident in this atypical approach with Penix.
More must-reads: