Atlanta Falcons 2024 draft class deserves continued criticism despite hot start

The Atlanta Falcons' hot start to the 2024 season has gone a long way in taking away deserved heat on the team's front office. Wins in free agency and a 6-3 record have all but wiped away one difficult truth, this front office has been consistently horrible in drafting to support the pieces in place. This year's class has an argument as an all-time whiff depending on how Michael Penix Jr. plays when given the chance.

Watching Jared Verse put together a big first half of the season for the Rams it becomes even easier to question the team's decision makers. Even if they were to stay locked in on Penix, what excuse do they have for the rest of the 2024 draft class?

Terry Fontenot has done a lot of things well in Atlanta including landing great free agents and keeping Atlanta's cap in order. Moves that have set the Falcons up to win both this season and moving forward. However, the problem remains the same as it was the last time Atlanta was in this position. Your window for contention will quickly close if you are unable to support your star players by drafting impact pieces.

As a reminder, this was Atlanta's draft choice in the first five rounds with their final selections being a back yet to crack the gameday roster a practice squad piece that was stolen by the Bills.

Michael Penix Jr. (QB) - Round 1
Ruke Orhorhoro (DT) - Round 2
Bralen Trice (OLB) - Round 3
Brandon Dorlus (DT) - Round 4
JD Bertrand (ILB) - Round 5

Two of the five players are now on IR, Brandon Dorlus and Michael Penix Jr. have no path into the lineup. Bertrand has been a rotational piece due to injury but hasn't impressed thus far. The point being, in a season where Atlanta's needs couldn't be more obvious the team opted to take a group that has had very little positive impact.

These are frustrations that date back to Terry Fontenot's early days with the Falcons. As talented as Kyle Pitts might be it is easy to see he isn't the best pass catcher within his own class, ignoring the fact Atlanta passed on Micah Parsons as well.

Fontenot's draft day decisions continue to be head-scratching leaving few answers as to why the team cannot get it right. Perhaps the most egregious was this past offseason spending a top-ten pick on a player you have no plans of seeing the field for the next two years.

This isn't a shot at Penix but pointing out the reality of a two-year bench player not being worth a top-ten pick. How different is this team's ceiling if Jared Verse was wearing an Atlanta Falcons uniform? Or what could the Falcons have done to fix the pass rush if they drafted Penix and didn't sign Cousins? The truth remains this team's draft day decisions dating back to the start of Fontenot's tenure are questionable at best and must be drastically improved if this team has any hope of keeping this window of contention open.