The Atlanta Falcons shocked a whole lot of people when they took University of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth pick of the NFL Draft last week.
The Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal in free agency, giving him $100 million in guaranteed money. So, you can understand why the decision to select Penix caught many off guard.
During a recent appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, CBS college football analyst Rick Neuheisel said that the thinks Atlanta should have selected Penix’s Washington teammate, wide receiver Rome Odunze.
Odunze certainly would have made sense at No. 8 for Atlanta.
Outside of Drake London, the Falcons don’t have a whole lot at the wide receiver position. Yes, they have Kyle Pitts at tight end, and Bijan Robinson is a major weapon out of the backfield, but you would think Atlanta would want to surround Cousins with as many targets as possible.
Many also felt that the Falcons should have want with a defensive player in the first round, as they particularly need to address their pass rush.
Instead, Atlanta chose to go with Penix, opting to secure its future under center.
It should be noted that Cousins is 36 years old and is coming off of a torn Achilles, so the Falcons may have some trepidation about how healthy he will be in 2024 and beyond. That would be one explanation for the Penix pick.
But if that’s the case, then why did Atlanta commit so much money to Cousins to begin with?
Plus, Penix is 24 years old, so if Cousins fulfills his entire contract, Penix would be 28 when he first gets the chance to start. That’s pretty old for a first-time quarterback.
Perhaps this will all work out for the Falcons in the end and all of their doubters will end up looking silly. But there is no question that this was a head-scratching move, and even Michael Penix Jr. may be wondering when he will get the opportunity to actually play.
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