The Falcons must target Michael Penix Jr. in the 2024 NFL Draft

Is Desmond Ridder the future of the Atlanta Falcons? Right now that seems to be in doubt. He has struggled with turnovers, which is something that will lose you a starting job faster than anything, and we have seen that.

The Falcons need to find a quarterback who can elevate the rest of the team. A quarterback who can place the ball in tight windows and give big-bodied pass catchers a chance at snagging the football. This team needs a star quarterback and there is one guy who can be just that—Michael Penix Jr.

Atlanta Falcons have to target Michael Penix Jr. in April's draft

I am a big fan of Desmond Ridder and think he has the potential to be really good. But the reality is that he hasn't been consistent and hasn't routinely been able to make those 'wow' throws. In today's NFL, you need a quarterback who can put the team on his back and that is why the Atlanta Falcons need to be aggressive in drafting a top quarterback during the 2024 NFL Draft.

Personally, my eyes are set on Michael Penix Jr., who has been exceptional and is in the Heisman conversation.

Also Read: Why Terry Fontenot should be on the hot seat

All the press goes to Caleb Williams (for good reason), but Penix could very well end up being the better NFL quarterback. Penix has had the consistency that Williams hasn't had. And yes, I did watch Penix complete under 50% of his passes against Oregon State, but there is a lot of context as to why that happened.

Penix is a quarterback who looks to pass the ball first, he has the athleticism to make plays in the backfield and even past the line of scrimmage (you will often hear people say he is a "pocket QB" but that label is doing his athleticism a disservice), he is extremely accurate, and he can throw absolute missiles to his receivers.

What I also love is that he gives his receivers a shot to make a play on the ball. Think about what he could do with Drake London and Kyle Pitts.

This play is just incredible.

The other aspect of him is that he has been in college for five years. He has all the experience you would ever want from a soon-to-be rookie quarterback.

Penix doesn't get the publicity that Caleb Williams gets, but, quite honestly, you could make the argument that Penix will be the better NFL quarterback. Everything Penix does is transferrable to the NFL.

This is the guy that the Atlanta Falcons should have their eyes on; he can turn the Falcons into a Super Bowl contender.

One last thing to ponder is with Michael Penix being a lefty, would he require the Atlanta Falcons to change around their offensive line? Jake Matthews has been the blindside protector for the five right-handed quarterbacks he has blocked for. Kaleb McGary is not a great pass blocker and he would be on the blindside of Penix. Not having the blindside of a rookie quarterback protected is a bad thought. Obviously, if he is going to be a franchise quarterback then you make all the necessary changes. This is just something to think about.