Though the Falcons have fixed their quarterback problem for the foreseeable future with Kirk Cousins, Terry Fontenot knows how dangerous not having a succession plan in place can be for an organization.
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Regardless of his role in the Matt Ryan and Deshaun Watson debacle, Atlanta’s GM had a first row seat at what quarterback purgatory looks like as the Falcons struggled to overcome the play of Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder, and Taylor Heinicke.
The Falcons went out and fixed their problem with the best solution on the market, but Cousins’ deal is only four years, and Atlanta is only really tied to the veteran for two years with only $10 million guaranteed in 2026.
Suffice to say, it’s not too early to be looking at a succession plan. Raheem Morris has already confirmed the Falcons will be adding to the quarterback room, but it’s not yet clear if it’ll be through the draft or free agency.
If it’s through the draft, there are a handful of potentially exciting prospects like Spencer Rattler and Michael Pratt, who are expected to go on Day 2 or Day 3. On The Pat McAfee Show, Jordan Schultz told the crew to keep a lookout for Michael Penix as well.
“I think these three or four teams to watch out for Penix would be Seattle, Atlanta, potentially a sleeper would be the Rams,” Schultz said.
"I think a potential sleeper team for Michael Penix is the Rams..
Kalen DeBoer said he's one of the single best leaders he's ever seen in his life"@Schultz_Report #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/n9GV5YxYK4
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 26, 2024
Michael Penix helped Washington to the National Championship and has plenty of admirers among Falcons fans, especially after the show he put on in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Texas.
However, ignoring his play against Michigan in the title game would be naive. It’s the closest defense to an NFL-caliber group, and Penix struggled mightily, regularly missing wide open receivers.
His body of work as a whole is inconsistent. Add in the fact that he’ll be a 24-year-old rookie and has a laundry list of season-ending injuries to his name, Penix brings about polarizing opinions.
I’m not the biggest fan of Penix landing in Atlanta, but I’m not going to pretend I know more than the Falcons front office and coaching staff about quarterbacks.
