Rather than using the #8 pick to upgrade the roster for a Super Bowl run, the Falcons stunned by selecting Micheal Penix Jr. The signs are two-fold. The Falcons felt the opportunity to draft a QB to succeed (newly signed) Kirk Cousins came early with a rich QB class an top-10 draft slot. Also, the opportunity cost to build for the future didn’t hurt the ability to currently building for a Super Bowl by deciding not to draft a top-10 selection at positions that will see the field. Receiver Rome Odunze (14), OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu (11), OT Taliese Fuaga (14) all could have benefited the Falcons offense. Atlanta also had all defensive players available with zero going until pick 15. Finally selections 15-24 saw seven players taken in a ten player stretch after 6 QBs, 3 WRs, and 4 O-lineman were taken off the board in a talented draft from those positions.

Penix has talent. He has experience going back to the 2020 Indiana Hoosier season where he made a diving leap for the end zone to defeat Penn State. Numerous injuries have derailed his career but he’s battled back. His ability has been called into question a Washington with three receivers heading to the NFL. The theory is that he sits behind Cousins and develops, but I’m not sure that’s the method for every QB anymore. Bryce Young looked broken by the end of last season for the Panthers but the roster was atrocious. In particular the offensive line that was supposed to protect him. If Penix is going to flourish perhaps playing now, already at age 24 and on a cheap rookie deal, has opportunity equal or BETTER now than a couple seasons down the road. He has younger weapons to growth with that the front office can make decisions on re-signing or passing on with Pitts and London. The offensive line figures to be pretty steady compared to most rookie QBs and Bijan Robinson still holds promise. Just because the Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes methods of sitting on the bench were successful, doesn’t mean they weren’t already going to winners.

In the end, this is all speculation for now. We just won’t know what to make of Penix’s plays and talent until he hits the field. Then we can speculate on where the mistake actually is. Should Penix now have been draft? Or should the Falcons have passed on Cousins if drafted a QB was the plan? We’ll overlook the possibly disastrous floor that is TWO QBs that have suffered difficult injuries ending on IR together. That’s an outlook too gross to consider in the short term. The ceiling? A 2-3 year succession plan in place from Cousins playing the best ball of his career in his 30’s to a future superstar.