Falcons reportedly 'are most excited' about this Michael Penix Jr. trait

2024 first-round draft pick Michael Penix Jr. will enter training camp as the Atlanta Falcons' undisputed starting quarterback after he replaced Kirk Cousins in the lineup this past December. 

For a piece published on Wednesday, Josh Kendall of The Athletic touched upon what Penix will and won't be as a second-year pro after he made just three starts during his rookie season. 

"The coaching staff won’t ask Penix to curtail his aggressiveness," Kendall wrote. "In fact, it’s the trait they are most excited about. Penix led the league in air yards per attempt (10.2) in his three starts. For the season, that number would have ranked second last season, and it would be the 15th-most aggressive season in the last 10 years, according to TruMedia."

It's no secret that Penix's rise up the depth chart occurred ahead of schedule after the Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $180M contract that included $100M guaranteed in March 2024. Cousins guided the 2024 Falcons to a 6-3 record before he dealt with multiple injury issues across what became a 1-4 stretch for the team. Atlanta then turned to Penix ahead of Week 16, but he was unable to lead the club to a playoff berth. 

In total, Penix completed 58.1 percent of 105 pass attempts for 775 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. He also added a rushing score. 

"The Falcons’ coaches believe Penix’s completion percentage will improve because a full offseason as the starter will allow him to build connections with his receivers," Kendall shared. "...In Penix’s three starts, Atlanta was ninth in explosive pass play percentage (14.6 percent) but only 24th in offensive pass success rate (41.4 percent), according to TruMedia, meaning the passing game hit big plays when it hit them but didn’t hit them often enough."

On Tuesday, ESPN NFL reporter Dan Graziano noted that there's no indication any team will give up even one significant asset to acquire Cousins before the Falcons open training camp later in July. As long as Cousins remains on the Atlanta roster, outsiders may wonder if at least some within the Falcons locker room believe he and not Penix gives the team the best chance to win games. 

Penix can silence such chatter by producing stellar performances, beginning with Atlanta's regular-season opener versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 7.