Of all the teams in the top 15 of the NFL Draft standings, the Atlanta Falcons were certainly the team that many did not expect to draft a quarterback.
Well, they shocked just about everyone when they selected Michael Penix Jr. from Washington with the No. 8 overall pick.
Of course, the Falcons entered the offseason with a hole at quarterback, signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year contract worth $180 million — $100 million of which is guaranteed. This all happened in the first two years.
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Quarterback Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta’s first-round pick, spoke to the media during an introductory press conference at the Falcons’ training facility. (Dale Zanin-USA Today Sports)
So while the Falcons have been criticized for this move, Super Bowl champion Trent Dilfer has the exact opposite view.
Of course, Penix will be backing up Cousins for a long time, but Dilfer sees plans for Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love.
”[Cousins] He’s going to play as good football as his body allows. And while he does that, you couldn’t find a better person to help Michael Penix grow as a person and a player. “Every time the Packers do this, every time people say this is stupid…I think this is one of the best models in all of football,” Dilfer said. Outkick’s “Hot Mic” Early this week.
“The Falcons are here looking three, four, five, six, seven years down the line and not just changing the franchise now, but being a Super Bowl contender for 10 years. I think that was a big deal.”It was a really good choice. ”
Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. throws an interception during the CFP National Championship game against the Michigan Wolverines at NRG Stadium on January 8, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Dilfer believes there are areas of Penix’s game that need improvement, and he says Cousins is the person who will help Penix develop into a more mature quarterback.
“I think Michael is a very talented and very successful guy, but he doesn’t play the game with a high level of discipline. It’s more of a gunslinger, and Kirk Cousins plays the game.”And he watched Kirk play at a very high level in Atlanta, learning the tricks of the trade and the nuances of the position. It would have been… If I had sat there and played, my career would have been completely different. I worked with an expert in his craft and learned all the tricks from such a person. I’m probably a heretic here, but I think it was a great choice. ”
The Athletic Although Cousins ”understood” a quarterback would be considered, reports said he was “stunned” by Penix’s selection as he didn’t believe his potential successor would be selected in the first round. did.
It’s ironic that the Falcons acquired Penix while Cousins was recovering from a serious injury of his own (a torn Achilles tendon). Penix tore his right anterior cruciate ligament twice at Indiana in 2018 and 2020, suffered a collarbone fracture in 2019 and an AC joint separation in 2021.
Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. holds an Atlanta Falcons jersey during a press conference on Friday, April 26, 2024, in Flowery Branch, Georgia. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
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Last season, Washington’s reign over the Pac-12 continued. Penix threw for 4,903 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Although the University of Michigan defeated Washington, his efforts with a high-octane offense led to a national championship berth.
FOX News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
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