Michael Penix Jr. makes epic first impression at Falcons practice

Last month, the Atlanta Falcons sent shockwaves through the NFL landscape when it was announced that they would be selecting former Washington football quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the number eight overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Making the situation confusing was the fact that the Falcons had previously signed former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins to a contract worth north of $100 million, meaning that Penix will have to wait likely multiple years to see playing time if things go according to plan.

In any case, rookie minicamps across the NFL got underway this past week and if early teammate impressions are any indication, Penix is already doing his part to make himself a positive presence in the Falcons’ locker room.

After Friday’s practice, rookie wide receiver Casey Washington spoke on what it was like to catch passes from the former national championship runner up.

“He’s awesome,” Washington said, per Daniel Flick of Sports Illustrated. “I think him early on, getting us out there as a group and showing himself as a leader is special. And obviously, who he is as a football player is also there, but just to get out here and compete with each other, it’s pretty special.”

Sixth round defensive tackle Zion Logue also spoke on what Penix’s leadership was like out on the field at practice.

“He goes about his business,” Logue said. “He’s a true pro. He knows what he wants to do, he knows how to lead this team. Just ready to actually see him in action because we were kind of standoffish working in individuals rather than just the whole team.”

Also on the Falcons’ roster is none other than Penix’s former Washington teammate, Bralen Trice, who spoke on his time getting to know Penix over the years and how that figures to translate to the next level.

“He’s a great leader on and off the field,” Trice said. “Just in the season, working with him, it’s just keep your chin up regardless of how we finished it out. 14-1, we did great, and I’m proud of how far we got. Nobody sees the work behind the walls that goes into it, and that’s the most important part. So I’m just proud of what we did to get there.”

A puzzling decision

Essentially, the Falcons made the decision that will make them least likely to be horrible over the next decade or so, and not the one that maximizes their chances of being a Super Bowl contender in the present with Kirk Cousins. If the Cousins experiment goes according to plan, then Penix will be 27 years old by the time he potentially sees the field. If the Cousins experiment fails, then Penix will be inserted into the lineup sooner, and the Falcons will have wasted over $100 million.

Either way, the team played itself.

In any case, the Falcons have just a few short months to get Penix and the rest of the draft class assimilated into the system before the season gets underway in September.