After signing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year deal in NFL free agency, the Atlanta Falcons made an unexpected move in the 2024 NFL Draft by selecting rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick.
With the Falcons committing to Cousins for four years, the last thing Atlanta was expected to do was to bring in a rookie quarterback, especially in the first round of the draft.
Despite seeing other rookie quarterbacks around the league being given an opportunity to prove their worth this season, like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and Bo Nix, Penix remains patient in backing up Cousins, even though some believe that the Falcons would be better off turning to the former University of Washington star.
On Sunday, the Falcons lost their fourth consecutive game, with Cousins unable to lead the team to victory against his former team, the Minnesota Vikings, which has created a lot of buzz about a potential quarterback change, considering the fact Atlanta is still in contention for a playoff spot this season.
Penix recently opened up about what it has been like sitting behind Cousins in Atlanta during his first NFL season.
“I wouldn’t say it’s difficult for me,” Penix said. “I feel like it’s a perspective, you know, how you look at it. For me, I know I got time to learn and time to grow and continue to getting more knowledge in the game.”
Michael Penix Jr explains why sitting behind Kirk Cousins during his first season with the Atlanta Falcons has not been difficult. pic.twitter.com/q2aVhiBAB5
— GoJo and Golic (@GoJoandGolic) December 9, 2024
With Cousins looking like he’s headed in the wrong direction and might be playing his last games as a starter on the professional level, Penix could get the nod sooner rather than later.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens in Atlanta moving forward and if head coach Raheem Morris decides to make a change this week or in the coming weeks.
NEXT: Kirk Cousins Got A Surprising Crowd Reaction On Sunday
