The Atlanta Falcons have been the talk of the town after surprisingly selecting Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Many believe it was a bad pick despite the fact Atlanta has secured their quarterback position for at least six years. But it sounds like at least one person loves the pick, as Michael Irvin calls it “the steal of the draft.”
During a segment on Undisputed, Irvin proclaimed the Falcons made the best pick of the first round and potentially the entire draft. From the sounds of it, Irvin is a big fan of the potential four-year plan in Atlanta.
“I love this move too, I thought this was, outside of what Chicago did, the steal of the draft right here. Remember we talked about this a while ago, but we talked about Atlanta going after Russell Wilson and Justin Fields as a fill-in, and still go and get your young quarterback. Go get a Russell Wilson then go get a young quarterback. I dubbed it the now and later, remember I told you like that candy. What they got right now is great work right now, for the young trio of gifted talented players that they have, in Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London. I want to get the most out of those guys , they’re Pro Bowl ready budding on All Pro right now. So I got Kirk Cousins in there right now for the next two years to throw this ball around and then in those two years I’m going to develop Michael Penix Jr.”
Michael Penix Jr. has all the potential in the world. But he's already 23 years old and looked NFL ready last season when he led the Washington Huskies to a National Championship. Regardless, the Falcons have a fantastic quarterback room right now and most teams would love to have a short and long term answer at that position.
It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out though, as reports indicated the Falcons didn't notify Kirk Cousins until the last second. There could be some drama brewing in Atlanta this offseason. But overall, this team has a playoff-caliber roster and the future is looking bright!
Michael Penix Jr.'s career outlook with Falcons
As of now it appears Kirk Cousins will be the starting quarterback next season. Especially considering the Falcons just signed him to a massive contract. There could be some buzz that Michael Penix Jr. is contending for the starting role but we won't know for sure until the summer begins.
Penix is in a nice situation to begin his career. He has the privilege to sit and learn for at least one year behind a solid veteran quarterback. After that he could end up taking over as the starting quarterback by 2025. With guys like Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts, this offense should be one of the best for years to come. By the time Michael Penix Jr. becomes the starter, this team should have an even stronger roster.
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