Quarterback has been a common theme for the Atlanta Falcons since Matt Ryan was traded in 2022. The talk has gone from Deshaun Watson heading home, Lamar Jackson being a trade target, Desmond Ridder landing the starting job, and finally, the Falcons doing too much to fix the position this offseason.
Kirk Cousins came to Atlanta on a huge deal as free agency opened. This threw them out of the first-round quarterback conversation, at least in the media's eyes. Lo and behold, Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris didn't care what anyone thought and took a talented passer with the eighth pick.
It has come with an unrelenting amount of criticism. Some people out there suddenly think the Falcons won't be competitive just because they have two players at the most important position.
So, when someone finally states that this has all been overblown, we have to give it attention.
NFL.com's Eric Edholm says Falcons' QB situation is most "overblown" storyline
Is it normal for a team to spend a lot of money or capital to bring in two starting-caliber quarterbacks over the course of two months? Absolutely not, but context is key and it is something that has eluded fans and critics thus far.
Eric Edholm of NFL.com understands the situation as he labeled this storyline as the most overblown storyline of the offseason.
He starts by talking about how it took him some time to come around to this decision, which has been a common sentiment. However, the understanding that having two quarterbacks isn't a bad thing and Cousins' ability to deal with the situation does not elude him.
"I'm not worried about Cousins' psyche. He's seen too much (and made too much money) to be thrown off by this. And if Cousins does get hurt, the Falcons have legitimate hope with their Plan B, even if Penix is a rookie -- in part because he's a rookie who spent six years and made 45 starts in college."
In addition to that, the fact that the NFC South is winnable is a big factor in all of this. The Falcons were awarded the ability to not only compete now but sacrifice resources to make sure they can do the same in five years.
"Look, the NFC South is eminently winnable. The Falcons have a favorable schedule. You might not have liked their decision to protect their most important asset with a layer of insurance, but it's hard to deny it might come in pretty handy."
It is nice to see an established writer understand the situation. In a vacuum, this storyline makes the Falcons look awful but we do not live in a vacuum. Many extenuating circumstances made this the smart decision by Terry Fontenot.