The Atlanta Falcons were the laughingstock of the NFL following the 2024 NFL Draft. After giving Kirk Cousins an egregious four-year deal worth $180 million as he was recovering from a torn Achilles, they then added Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the draft with the eighth overall pick.
As a result, a messy situation was sure to arise, and that’s exactly how it played out. By the end of the year, Penix was the starter and Cousins was riding the bench despite his massive contract. However, one analyst believes it might work out for the best in the end for the franchise.
Atlanta Falcons Correct in Picking Michael Penix Jr.?
For the first 14 games of the year, the Falcons chose to ride with the veteran Cousins as their starting quarterback. In that stretch, they went 7-7, with Cousins himself having wildly erratic numbers.
While he had a 500-yard game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he also had rough outings against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos, throwing for under 200 yards. In the end, a four-week stretch where he totaled eight interceptions with zero touchdowns paved the way for Penix to take over.
Through the final three games of the year, the Washington product showed flashes of potential. Whether it was deep passes or consistently moving the chains, he was solid in all three games, paving the way for optimism about his future.
That’s why Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated believes Atlanta could walk away unscathed. “While we’re there, I’d say the Falcons feel very, very good about taking Michael Penix Jr. last year, based on what’s available in this year’s class.”
So far, only Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders have stood out from the rest of the pack in the 2025 draft class. However, even then, doubts remain about Sanders’ NFL viability, and most believe Ward wouldn’t have been the first quarterback off the board last year.
“If it works out, it’s a good lesson that having too many answers at quarterback is a good problem to have. One thing I’ve said from the start here is that if Penix winds up being an elite player, no one will care about the rest,” wrote Breer.
The Cousins contract will be a tough pill to swallow, but even a decent quarterback in the NFL always has teams lining up for him. And as he moves farther away from the Achilles injury, the former Minnesota Viking could start to resemble his old self.
Then, a trade wouldn’t be shocking—somewhat lightening the fallout the Falcons would have had otherwise.