With the NFL draft done, the Atlanta Falcons selected Micheal Penix Jr. from Washington in the first round. The Falcons used their premium first-round pick to choose a quarterback who was projected to be a later first-round pick. After the pick was made, the aftermath was chaotic, with the general manager explaining his actions to the owner.
The day after the pick was made was even worse, with the answers to the press conference being porous. This draft pick was also made after the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a large deal. Atlanta’s pick shocked Kirk Cousins and made the situation much worse. This could potentially cause chaos in the team with this pick and could cause ripple effects.
The Atlanta Falcons are in a position that could harm them in 2024 and beyond because of their relationship with their star quarterback, whom they paid a lot of money for.
The Atlanta Falcons Blindside Their Owner
During the first round of the NFL draft, the Atlanta Falcons drafted quarterback Micheal Penix Jr in the eighth overall pick. The pick was a complete curveball and surprised the NFL world including potentially the owner Arthur Blank. After making the pick, the general manager talked to a potentially annoyed Arthur Blank at the Falcons’ war room during the selection.
The pick for the quarterback was controversial for the entire franchise and after the first round, the team tried to justify it. General manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris compare the pick to the Packers’ Jordan Love while having Aaron Rodgers. That comparison is weird because Love was picked as a late first-rounder, not the eighth overall.
The Falcons Weak Justification
Atlanta’s justification for the pick was lacking, and even worse, with the star quarterback, they signed a huge deal and weren’t notified of it. The lack of communication between the Falcons and Kirk Cousins was mind-blowing and could harm the relationship between the two sides. While Kirk did have an encouraging call with Penix, this relationship could be disastrous.
The Falcons’ pick of Micheal Penix could end in a disaster for the quarterback and the franchise. Even if the pick is correct long-term, the circumstances could end wrong. The contract Kirk Cousins signed has a two-year clause, but still grants him 100 million guaranteed. Kirk being in Atlanta after an injury is messy enough, but drafting his successor looks worse.
Final Thoughts
For the Atlanta Falcons, they are in a position that could harm them in 2024 and beyond. The Falcons drafting a quarterback projected to be a late first-rounder or second-rounder was weird. Even the team owner was not amused by the pick, at the time. This shows that this could be a mistake with the general manager and coach defending the decision.
The comparison made by the coaching staff of Penix to Jordan Love falls flat because of the positions they were picked at. It felt like trying to put out a tire fire, and it got worse by not notifying the star quarterback they paid 140 million dollars to this offseason. This relationship will fall apart, with Cousins needing to learn who the Falcons were picking.
More About This Author
Jordan Ramos is a sports writer and has been an avid fan of over four sports leagues in the New York City metro area for over 15 years to 20 years, and is a journalism graduate of Brooklyn College studying various amounts of news, politics, and sports media. Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
