You know the story by now, the Atlanta Falcons signed QB Kirk Cousins to a massive deal and then used their eighth-overall pick on QB Michael Penix Jr. It was an unconventional route to take and one that has come with overwhelmingly harsh criticism.
You don't have to look far at all to find some strong words directed toward Terry Fontenot, Raheem Morris, and the Atlanta Falcons.
In a normal situation, a first-round pick who was an unpopular pick can immediately take the field and prove the media wrong. Unfortunately, the Falcons aren't in a normal situation and it is going to be a few years before they can prove they made the right decision.
Atlanta Falcons are going to be under fire for years to come
Making the selection of Michael Penix Jr. in the top ten required a lot of nerve and confidence. They know the amount of money they just spent on Kirk Cousins to be their starter and how much hate they would get if they took a quarterback. It was not a pick for the faint of heart.
What Arthur Blank, Terry Fontenot, Raheem Morris, and the Atlanta Falcons will have to do is take on the disapproval of the media for more than just a few months—it could be a few years.
If Kirk Cousins balls out this season and leads the Falcons to the playoffs, the question will be 'why didn't you use the pick on a player who could have helped you even more?'
If Michael Penix Jr. balls out in the preseason, the question will be 'why is he not starting?'
If Kirk Cousins takes a backseat to Penix, they will start asking 'Was Kirk Cousins' contract the worst in NFL history?'
The only way that they can escape the fire is if Penix takes over for an injured Cousins and plays like an MVP. No one wants to see Cousins get injured again, so we can only hope this doesn't happen.
My point in all of this is to say that you better get used to all of this uproar because you are going to be listening to it for a while.