The Atlanta Falcons made a surprising selection, choosing former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick within the 2024 NFL Draft.
Among those shocked by the choice was their currently projected starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins.
The Falcons called Cousins while they were on the clock to inform him they were taking Penix, his agent Mike McCartney said. When Cousins signed with the team this offseason, the Falcons told him they’d sign a quarterback within the later rounds of this draft. He was stunned once they scored in the primary round, and Cousins' biggest concern is that the pick won't help the team next season.
One of the explanations Atlanta selected Penix is since it believes it won't have a top pick in the approaching years with Cousins under center, a team source said.
The Falcons signed Cousins this offseason to a four-year deal value $180 million, with $100 million guaranteed. The 35-year-old quarterback is recovering from the torn Achilles tendon he suffered in Week 8 last season. Cousins said at his introductory press conference in March that he could take drops and make passes, but whenever you add to that, “I think the moment I had to leave the pocket, you'd say, 'Yeah 'He's still recovering from a hamstring injury.' .'”
Opinions about Penix varied
I didn't think the Falcons would use the eighth pick on Penix, that's for sure, but I think Penix was a really interesting prospect in this draft.
Among the people I spoke with during the draft process were two former head coaches with strong track records who had Penix as the No. 2 quarterback in that draft behind Caleb Williams. It seemed like very few people agreed with that assessment.
During Super Bowl week, I had a feeling Penix would be gone by the middle of the first round, but the chatter surrounding him made me feel like that was too far-fetched. There can be a lot of volatility with quarterbacks. If a team loves you, the team should take him. And when teams feel like the position is already set, they usually just don't pick it. So someone like Penix can leave sooner than expected, while Aaron Rodgers waits longer than expected.
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