The Atlanta Falcons are in the middle of training camp as the regular season is quickly approaching. Michael Penix Jr. is expected to be the starting quarterback, while rumors have speculated that the organization could trade Kirk Cousins. However, the current quarterback situation drew an honest admission from a former NFL player.

Dan Orlovsky, who is now an analyst at ESPN, claimed that if the Falcons end up keeping Cousins to be the backup behind Penix, then he would have no problem with it. Atlanta has the privilege of having a young quarterback with a ton of potential while having a veteran serve as a solid backup option. He also claims that Atlanta could be a serious contender if Penix proves to be a great quarterback.

“If Michael Penix is the guy for this year and Kirk Cousins is the backup, so be it,” said Orlovsky… “If Michael Penix is really good, man, this team's got a chance to win 10, 11 games.”

Penix, who is 25 years old, played in five games (started three) last season after Cousins struggled much throughout the 2024-25 campaign. The former Washington Husky displayed flashes of potential, but it wasn't enough to guarantee he's the next franchise quarterback for the Falcons. The upcoming season will likely be treated more like his rookie year. Last season, Michael Penix Jr. finished with 775 passing yards and three touchdowns while owning a 58.1% completion percentage.

One thing that will help Penix in his second season in the NFL is making sure he throws the ball to guys like Drake London and Kyle Pitts. The Falcons' quarterback already made a bold declaration about Pitts, claiming he plans to throw the ball often to the star tight end.

We'll officially see Penix in action to begin the season on September 7 when the Falcons open the year against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That will be a tough matchup, as it's against an NFC South rival, but it will also be a good test for the young quarterback.

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