The Atlanta Falcons were the talk of the NFL Draft last Thursday when they selected University of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick.
It’s not that Penix went so high in the draft that sparked discussion (although most had him going in the teens or later in the first round). It’s the fact that the Falcons had just signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal the month prior.
Most expected Atlanta to take a defensive player at No. 8, or at least select another weapon for Cousins in an aerial attack that is relatively thin on them outside of wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts.
So, when the Falcons chose Penix, it caused a firestorm of criticism, but former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky doesn’t understand all of the pushback.
Orlovsky’s take is widely exaggerated here.
No one was ever saying that the Falcons were Super Bowl contenders. No one was saying that if they took an edge rusher like Dallas Turner or Laiata Latu, they would be competing for a championship.
The reason for all of the bewilderment is because Atlanta just committed $100 million in guaranteed money to Cousins. Plus, you don’t have to be contending for a Super Bowl in order to be motivated to fill clear needs on the roster.
The Falcons obviously needed a pass rusher, and while they did take four straight defensive players between Rounds 2 and 5, everyone knows that the first-round pick is the one most likely to produce a star.
Atlanta’s decision to select Penix indicates that the Falcons don’t feel all that great about Cousins for the next few years. Cousins will be 36 years old at the start of next season and is coming off of a torn Achilles, so such concerns are warranted. But why give Cousins so much money over a multi-year deal if that’s the case?
No matter how Orlovsky tries to spin it, the selection of Penix doesn’t make much sense, especially at No. 8. Had the Falcons traded down a couple of spots for him, the reaction probably wouldn’t have been as negative.
We’ll see if Atlanta ends up being vindicated in a few years (or sooner).
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