Michael Penix Jr. is an elite talent. He has the potential to be a top-five quarterback in the league and that is good enough reason for a team like the Atlanta Falcons—who just signed a veteran quarterback—to draft him in the top ten.
While it was certainly an unconventional pick by the Atlanta, it was a pick with an eye to the future. Considering what the Falcons went through the past two years, you shouldn't be angry about the team wanting to avoid making the mistake of not having a successor to their veteran quarterback in the shadows.
What you can blame them for is not having a clear timeline for a tricky situation at the most important position. It seems as though that is the case for the general manager of the Falcons, Terry Fontenot.
Falcons GM Terry Fontenot cannot answer the inevitable Michael Penix Jr. timeline question
While talking with ESPN host Rece Davis during the network's coverage of the draft, general manager Terry Fontenot was asked a question that he knew was coming.
“We have our quarterback for now and we have our quarterback for the future.”
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 27, 2024
—Falcons GM Terry Fontenot on why the team decided to draft another QB after just signing Kirk Cousins ✍️ pic.twitter.com/SqFNdTsoxJ
When will Michael Penix Jr. become the starter? It is a question that the whole NFL world is asking the Atlanta Falcons right now, and, apparently, it is one that the Falcons cannot even answer.
Kirk Cousins just signed a four-year deal that he likely won't see the end of, despite all the out-of-context quotes posted on social media following Fontenot's press conference. While you certainly cannot blame Fontenot for not saying "Yeah, we plan on cutting Kirk Cousins in two years," you cannot help but feel like he is still trying to figure out what exactly is happening.
I don't believe that the Falcons see Kirk Cousins' four-year contract as a four-year contract. After two years, they can release him without taking a franchise-breaking cap hit. By that time, Penix's arm will be too difficult to keep off the field.
So I am going to answer this question for Fontenot, if Cousins doesn't win a few playoff games in his first two seasons, then Penix will be the starting quarterback soon after. If he does win a few playoff games, then he will be the starting quarterback for an extra year (three in total) before Penix takes over.
To end, this wasn't a bad pick but their quotes after the pick were bad; the Falcons front office should have had better coaching when preparing to talk to the media (seems to be a theme for this team this offseason).