Even though the Atlanta Falcons have expressed their belief in Michael Penix Jr. at every turn, the media is still convinced they will move on from him. I'm no detective, but I think the entireity of the new leadership praising him should be proof that their faith in Penix as their franchise QB is genuine.
Even still, their words have fallen on deaf ears, as it hasn't stopped the media from let the rumor mill surrounding Atlanta's quarterback dilemma swirl. And the worst culprit may have revealed himself. While playing QB matchmaker, Fox Sports' Henry McKenna thinks the Falcons are a match for Mac Jones.
So not only does McKenna have the Dirty Birds heavily involved in the QB market, he has them chasing a quarterback the San Francisco 49ers have already confirmed they have no intention of trading. That's a match made in heaven if I've ever seen one, albeit an incredibly uninspired match.
Penix deserves a chance to see how he'll fare in Kevin Stefanski's offense. The injury history after another ACL tear is cause for concern, but you can't deny that he has the talent to be Atlanta's franchise quarterback. The only thing he didn't have was a good support system, which he now has.
Even if people don't want to admit it, the Falcons should commit to Michael Penix Jr.
Jones has looked like a viable spot starter across the last two seasons, but not enough to the point where Ian "I love draft picks" Cunningham would be willing to give up a third or fourth-round pick to acquire him, especially when the Falcons clearly won't be the only team calling the Niners about him.
After starting 15 games across the last two seasons, the former first-round pick is looking like the latest signal-caller to embark on a career revival, and while Atlanta would be a good destination for him to do so, they still have unfinished business with Penix due to the mistakes of the prior regime.
The Falcons drafted Penix with the eighth overall pick in 2024 for a reason, and Terry Fontenot's ineptitude is not that reason. They drafted him because they genuinely thought he had the potential to be their first franchise QB since Matt Ryan retired, and he's looked promising when on the field.
While Stefanski's offense is also a good fit for Jones' skillset, it's a much better fit to cater to Penix's strengths. The Washington product will look better operating under center with more play-action looks dialed up, and now that Kyle Pitts will be back in 2026, his upward trajectory should continue.
This is not to say that Atlanta shouldn't add a QB in any capacity, because now that we know for sure that Kirk Cousins is being cut, they will have to address the position. But in my eyes, a lower-stakes signing like Joe Flacco makes more sense than a guy who has a chance to steal Penix's job outright.
And if they believe in him as much as they say, Penix deserves at least some leeway as the starter once he returns to the field.