The NFL Draft isn’t over yet, but the Atlanta Falcons picking quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the first round will probably go down as the event’s biggest shocker.
The former Washington Huskies star is going to ATL to be Kirk Cousins’ backup, and the veteran QB is said to be very upset about it, especially given that the team did not tell him.
Cameras caught an interaction between Falcons owner Arthur Blank and team GM Terry Fontenot, and it does appear that the latter was trying to justify his choice. Check it out right below:
Should Penix end up becoming a good QB for the Falcons in a few years, Fontenot will earn some praise, whether he’s still with the team or not. Who knows? He could trade him later on for multiple picks, which would also leave him looking like he knew what he was doing.
Anything else would be disastrous.
The Falcons just signed Cousins to a $180 million contract yet have taken a QB in the first round. Should things work out for Cousins in Atlanta, Michael Penix Jr. will not play next season.
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Also Read: REPORT: Michael Penix Jr.’s Measurements Have Scouts Buzzing At The NFL Combine
Kirk Cousins Is Not Happy With The Falcons Picking Michael Penix Jr.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Falcons phoned Cousins to let him know their plans while they were on the clock. He was understood to have been “stunned” as he was aware of the possibility of the team drafting a QB, but he didn’t expect it to be a first-rounder.
“I spoke to Kirk Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, who explained to me the Atlanta Falcons called Cousins while they were on the clock at No. 8. The Falcons had told Cousins when he signed with the team this offseason that they would be drafting a quarterback in the later rounds of the 2024 draft,” Russini wrote.
“He was stunned when they took one in the first round, picking University of Washington standout Michael Penix Jr. McCartney’s and Cousins’ biggest concern is that they don’t believe this helps the team for the upcoming season.”
The Falcons are committed to Cousins for three seasons, so Penix would be a good backup, considering the vet’s coming off an Achilles injury. Still, they were spoilt for choice with defensive options at No. 8 and opted to go with a player they probably don’t need.
