The biggest surprise of the first round was Michael Penix Jr. hearing his name called eighth overall. The Falcons added to their quarterback room with their top selection, despite having signed Kirk Cousins in free agency last month.
The latter was taken aback by the decision, one which he became aware of while Atlanta was on the clock. Cousins is in place as the starter for multiple years, leaving Penix as a long-term developmental option (albeit one who is older than many other Day 1 signal-callers placed in a similar position). To no surprise, plenty of speculation has resulted from the Penix selection.
Owner Arthur Blank is believed to have driven this move, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reports. The quarterback position was seen as a sore spot entering the 2024 offseason and while the Cousins signing marked a short-term upgrade, the Penix addition is of course one aimed at future stability under center. Owners are often involved in major moves at the top of the draft board such as this one, but how the 2024 season (and beyond) unfolds with GM Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris at the helm will make for a key storyline vis-à-vis Penix’s path to playing time.
Here are some other QB-related draft notes:
- Penix was the fourth signal-caller selected on Thursday, but Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes the Heisman runner-up was ranked third on the Falcons’ board. Some in the organization even had Penix second, Breer adds. The Washington alum was seen in some circles as a borderline Day 1 prospect, but his top-10 selection has cemented his status as a central figure in Atlanta’s long-term plans while also helping the value of his rookie contract.
- As the top of the first round order played according to expectation, Jayden Daniels was selected second overall by the Commanders. That move came about after the team held an unusual evaluation featuring overlapping visits amongst the class’ best quarterbacks. While that limited Daniels’ availability to get face-to-face time on his own in many respects, Breer notes the Heisman winner was the only prospect who was permitted an “extended, exclusive meeting” with new owner Josh Harris. Given that update, it comes as even less of a surprise Washington followed through with drafting Daniels upon turning down trade interest.
- Bo Nix was often mentioned alongside Penix as part of the 2024 class’ second tier of passers. Denver added him with the No. 12 pick, though, making him the sixth QB to hear his name called. The Broncos had Nix positioned third on their board, per Troy Renck of the Denver Post. With every other Day 1 passer having previously come off the board, that internal ranking is of course a relatively moot point. Nix will nevertheless enter one of the more intriguing quarterback rooms in 2024.
- One of the suitors left out in terms of QB pursuit was the Raiders, a team known to have been very high on Daniels in particular. Vegas’ decision-makers were of the opinion there was a “sizable gap” between the top tier of Caleb Williams, Daniels and Drake Maye and the other passers, however, as The Athletic’s Vic Tafur reports (subscription required). For that reason, Tafur notes it would have been unlikely the Raiders drafted Penix or Nix even if they were on the board with the 13th pick. In an case, the team added tight end Brock Bowers with its top selection as part of the unprecedented run on offensive players to begin the draft.
Penix can never take a snap and he will be better than McCarthy.
Penix was a massive punt of a pick by the falcons. Which despite how it sounds it’s not a knock on Penix it’s just a horrible move by organization. Honesty I feel bad for Penix because Atlanta’s almost certainly not planning on him playing this year or next. So he has to wait until he’s 26 in his 3rd year to get playing time.
To be fair, I think it needs to be seen exactly how Cousins plays coming back from a major injury before saying Penix won’t play until year three. It would be a nightmare for the Falcons, but Cousins struggle with the injury.
I don’t think it was a bad pick, by any stretch. Personally, I’m a big fan of rookie QBs sitting behind an established starter for a year unless their talent and pro readiness is undeniable.
If they were concerned with cousins health why would they give him 100 mil guaranteed. I understand the a guy sitting for a few years but that’s for young developmental guys. Key word there being young. Jordan love sat for 3 years and started last season the same age Penix is now.
I fully understand 100m dollars is a lot of money, but that’s the cost of having a QB in the NFL if you don’t have a good one on a rookie deal. You do what you have to do.
I look at it this way though: if everything goes great with Cousins, they probably win 10-12 games. Penix may not play for years, but the pick is still worth it because you’re probably drafting in the twenties if you’re winning that many. Regardless of the injury, Cousins isn’t getting any younger in that time. Only now, you have a successor in place.
Sure, Penix is a little older. To me, no big deal. Even if he takes the reigns at 26 or 27, you get 7-8 years out of him. The only big thing you really lose is most of the time having that QB on a rookie deal for the next decade. I get that’s not nothing, but I still like the pick for them.
The only thing they are losing out on is the most important thing which is not having to pay your QB and being able to stack the team around him.
Look at the teams that have made the Super Bowl the last 8 years. Unless your QB is Brady, Mahomes, or the one fluke year that stafford and the rams went none of the QBs that made it made big money at the time.
You can’t have the QB have a massive cap hit and build the team around him at the same time with enough high level talent to win. Which is why the Bills have had to cut half of their starting defense from last year and trade Diggs. It’s also why the bengals have multiple players asking for trades and they had to cut Mixon.
Basically in todays NFL you have to either have Mahomes or Brady the two best QBs to ever play or likr the rams did have one of the 5-10 best defensive players ever in Aaron Donald, hit on a bunch of mid round picks they aren’t paying yet I.e Cooper Kupp at the time, and also trade every first round draft pick for a half decade to get the talent to stack the team.
Burrow, Purdy, Hurts, all the guys that have made it recently other then the above ones I mentioned did it on their rookie deals.
It’s a long winded comment to say unfortunately for Falcons fans this team doesn’t want to win a Super Bowl. They want to win the worst division in football and host a playoff game to then get bounced in the first round.
Any predictions for day 2 yall? I got two QBs going and at least 8 running backs. Rattler goes late second to either Giants Seahawks Saints or Raiders
I like Penix, but wouldn’t have used the #13 on him.