The Atlanta Falcons have made a surprise selection, selecting former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Among those shocked by the selection was the projected current quarterback, Kirk Cousins.
His agent, Mike McCartney, said the Falcons called Cousins when they were on the clock to let him know they were taking Penix. The athlete. When Cousins signed with the team that offseason, the Falcons told him they would draft a quarterback in the later rounds of that draft. He was stunned when they got one in the first round, and Cousins' biggest concern was that the pick didn't help the team for next season.
A team source said one reason Atlanta selected Penix is because they believe they won't have the top pick in the upcoming drafts with Cousins under center for the next few years. The athlete.
The Falcons signed Cousins this offseason to a four-year deal worth $180 million, including $100 million guaranteed. The 35-year-old quarterback is recovering from the torn Achilles tendon he suffered in Week 8 of last season. Cousins said in his introductory press conference in March that he could take drops and make passes, but if he was added, “I think the moment I'm going to have to leave the pocket is the moment you're going to say, 'Oh yeah, he's still recovering from that Achilles tendon.'” “.
Opinions on Penix vary
I didn't think the Falcons would use the eighth pick on Penix, that's for sure, but I thought Penix was a really interesting prospect in this draft.
Two former head coaches with strong track records were among the people I spoke with during the draft process who Penix was the No. 2 quarterback in this draft, behind Caleb Williams. It seems that very few people agreed with this assessment.
My feeling during Super Bowl week was that Penix would be gone midway through the first round, but the recent chatter surrounding him made me feel like that was a stretch. With quarterbacks, there can be huge fluctuations. If a team likes one, the team gets to take it. And when teams feel they already have a position, they simply don't choose it most of the time. This is how someone like Penix can go earlier than expected while Aaron Rodgers waits longer than expected. -Mike Sandow, NFL national writer
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