Due to the partially torn ACL injury he heartbreakingly suffered in Week 11, the Atlanta Falcons will be without Michael Penix Jr. for the remainder of the season. The second-year quarterback will be undergoing surgery in the coming days and is expected to be sidelined for at least nine months.
The injury means that Kirk Cousins will serve as the starter for the final seven games of Atlanta's season, but it will also force them to re-evaluate their quarterback situation this offseason. But until then, Raheem Morris shed some light on the new QB room while addressing the media earlier today.
The 49-year-old coach revealed that Easton Stick was being signed to the active roster to serve as Cousins' new backup, while the Dirty Birds also opted to sign former Bucs' draft pick Kyle Trask to the practice squad, where he'll operate as Atlanta's new third-string quarterback with Penix out.
Falcons sign Easton Stick and Kyle Trask to replace Michael Penix Jr.
Stick has been on the Falcons' practice squad all season long after being released just before final roster cuts. The 2019 fifth-round pick of the Chargers signed with Atlanta this offseason, and has made five starts in his career while mostly serving as a backup to Justin Herbert in Los Angeles.
The North Dakota State product has thrown for 1,133 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception while completing 64% of his passes in limited NFL action. And if Cousins' advanced age and struggles as a starter have anything to do with it, he could get his shot to start sooner than some fans realize.
As for Trask, he's an interesting case. The former Florida star was a second-round pick by the Buccaneers in 2021, where he backed up both Tom Brady and Baker Mayfield before also being a victim of final roster cuts in Tampa Bay earlier this offseason.
Moreover, the most interesting part about the Trask signing is the fact that the 27-year-old played with Kyle Pitts in Gainesville, where the pair took the SEC by storm in Gainesville. And despite his lack of NFL experience, his youth means he could eventually emerge into Atlanta's long-term backup.
However, the 37-year-old Cousins has a prime shot to remind fans that he's still talented enough to start in this league. But thankfully, Morris and Terry Fontenot added some short-term insurance, even if it isn't enough to make the heartache of the Penix news sting any less.