The Atlanta Falcons had one of the most surprising picks in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night as they took Michael Penix Jr. with their first pick. It was surprising to see the Falcons take this route for a couple of reasons. First, they just signed Kirk Cousins this offseason, and second, Penix Jr. wasn't expected to be the fourth QB taken. He is older than some of the other QBs that were available and he has a history of injuries.
It was a surprising move, but the Falcons did get a QB that clearly has a ton of talent. It will be interesting to see how Michael Penix Jr. performs at the next level.
A lot of people are wondering how the Falcons will approach this QB situation in the offseason, and on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Bill Simmons and Van Latham compared the situation to Any Given Sunday. The movie features a team called the Miami Sharks, and they had a similar situation with a veteran QB and a youngster. Here is the exchange that Simmons and Latham had on the podcast.
Bill Simmons: “So the city of Atlanta, you gave me on the one hand a Dennis Quaid character, and then you gave me a Jamie Foxx character. Where do you think this city is going to lean?
Van Latham: “Look let me tell you something.”
Bill Simmons: “I wonder how it’s going to play out.”
Van Latham: “Let me tell you something real quick, Atlanta loves a winner, and I think that’s going to be a problem for Kirk Cousins. Kirk Cousins is a good QB but…”
Bill Simmons: “He’s a 9 -7, 9-8 guy.”
Van Latham: “He’s a 10-7 ranger right. He’s the cream of the crap, the best of the worst. I’m not hating on him because he’s had a great career, but I don’t think anybody’s looking at Kirk Cousins to take you to the promised land. Now if he goes in there and has problems figuring it out a little bit, there’s going to be people that want to see the new kid. That’s the thing, and not just because he is culturally, should I say what Atlanta is looking for, but just because he just came off a fantastic college football career.”
When will we see Michael Penix Jr. play?
It was surprising to see, but the Falcons now have Michael Penix Jr. and everyone is wondering who the guy will end up being while Kirk Cousins is in Atlanta. It's clear that Cousins is no longer in his prime and he will probably retire relatively soon, but it'll be interesting to see if he ends up on the bench now because of Penix Jr. being drafted.
The Falcons know that Cousins isn't going to be playing for much longer, and they saw an opportunity to draft a QB that had a terrific college career. It was a bit surprising to see them not take a different QB, but they obviously feel good about Penix Jr. Based on the decision, it seems like Cousins will likely have a short leash if he does begin the season as the starter. If he isn't meeting expectations, Penix Jr, will get his turn.
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