Although he won't start this season since Kirk Cousins is here, everyone is excited to see Atlanta Falcons rookie Michael Penix Jr. in action. Penix was a surprising pick for Atlanta and people are curious about what the Falcons were thinking. Thankfully, with Cousins likely not playing, fans won't have to wait long to see Penix play against the Miami Dolphins.
“We haven’t really talked about playing time, but you’ll get a good look at Michael,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said. “You won’t see nearly as much of Kirk, if any.”
Against Miami will be Penix's first opportunity to display his ability after Atlanta surprisingly selected him this spring. Unless something unexpected happens this season to Cousins, or the Falcons are either giving or receiving a blowout, it will be one of just three chances Penix will have to play in his first NFL season.
Why did the Falcons take Michael Penix Jr. after signing Kirk Cousins?
Although Penix may be slotted in third on the depth chart to start the season, it's a sign of Atlanta's patience regarding his development. But, with the Falcons trying to contend with a loaded offense handed to Cousins, the decision to take Penix and bury him on the depth chart seems like a waste of a draft pick.
However, the belief that Atlanta is ready to contend pokes holes in that argument. Once Cousins ages out, the Falcons must find a new option. If the front office can truly build the team into a winner right now, the eighth pick won’t come to them again.
That means when Cousins moves on, Atlanta could be scrambling for a quarterback. So, having Penix as a quarterback to transition to in the future will be seamless since he's developing with the team. It's a similar approach the Green Bay Packers took with Aaron Rodgers behind Brett Favre and, more recently, Jordan Love behind Rodgers.
In a vacuum, it will remain puzzling for the Falcons to do this, especially on the field this year. However, if Atlanta moves on from Cousins, they can maintain the status quo if they're a serious contender. In a division as pitiful as the NFC South, that could be the ticket for the Falcons to form a regular and consistent playoff threat.
But if Penix doesn't pan out for Atlanta, this will all blow up spectacularly. If that happens, the Falcons will return to where they started this project.
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