How Kirk Cousins is impressing teammates amid awkward Michael Penix Jr. situation

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris recently offered high praise for how veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins has handled serving as the primary backup for 2024 first-round draft pick Michael Penix Jr. this summer.

For a piece published on Wednesday morning, Marc Raimondi of ESPN expanded on how Cousins has impressed his teammates amid what could have become an awkward situation for everybody involved. 

"It's incredible," Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss said about how Cousins has performed in practices. "It's like, dude, he's so good. He's really good. He's a special player, and just his processing, his accuracy, and just his ability to switch it up, he's playing a game out there. We're not just getting practice reps, you know what I mean? It's not like the guy that's a second-[teamer], or a rookie that's just trying to remember what his plays are."

Cousins lost his job last December due to poor play as the Falcons went from 6-3 to 7-7. That said, he seemingly never truly felt quite like his old self coming off the torn Achilles he suffered in October 2023. Additionally, the 37-year-old dealt with elbow, shoulder and ankle issues before Morris turned to Penix after Week 15 of the campaign.

As for Penix, he reportedly has produced some up-and-down performances during his first training camp as Atlanta's full-time QB1. He nevertheless isn't looking over his shoulder, in part because Cousins hasn't yet done anything to become a distraction for the organization. 

"...Kirk has been an absolute pro in every part of the process so far in how much he helps Mike and helps all the other quarterbacks in the room and at the same time getting himself prepared to go out there and perform," Falcons passing game coordinator T.J. Yates recently said. "It is not an easy task for him to do, and it's foreign to him, but he's handling everything like a pro and we're lucky to have him in the room."

The Falcons open the upcoming season with matchups against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Minnesota Vikings. One can't help but wonder how Morris would handle his quarterback situation if his club ended the Vikings game at 0-2.