The Falcons provided one of the draft’s largest surprises in the first round. Atlanta used the No. 8 selection on quarterback Michael Penix Jr., a move which raised eyebrows given the team’s free agent investment in Kirk Cousins. That was not the only move the Falcons were prepared to make in the first round, however. 
Atlanta’s efforts to move up the top-10 order were, understandably, rejected. The way the QB board fell still allowed the team to add Penix as a long-term Cousins successor, though. Many had pointed to the Falcons as a candidate to make the draft’s first defensive addition with the eighth pick, but that still would have been a possibility with a trade to acquire another Day 1 selection.
On that note, a behind-the-scenes team video from the Jets shows that Atlanta was interested in trading for New York’s top pick (No. 10 overall). The Jets turned down the Falcons’ interest, although they ultimately moved back one spot after trading places with the Vikings. Atlanta’s Penix selection has been criticized – including by Cousins himself, initially – for not providing immediate help to the team in 2024, something another first-rounder would have done.
In the aforementioned video, Jets general manager Joe Douglas makes it clear the Falcons wished to keep the eighth overall pick while adding No. 10. The latter selection would have come at a massive price, of course, and acquiring it likely would have required a package involving future Day 1 capital. Moving back into the top 10 would, on the other hand, have given Atlanta a free choice of the defensive prospects in the 2024 class.
While the Falcons could be speculatively connected to a number of players on that side of the ball, ESPN’s Matt Miller notes that a source pegged Atlanta’s considerations at No. 8 as Penix, Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner and Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy less than one week before the draft. Murphy went 16th overall to the Seahawks, while the Vikings traded up to select Turner one spot later.
After drafting Penix, Atlanta made four straight selections on the defensive side of the ball (including two D-linemen and one edge rusher). Those players will be counted on as rookies more than Penix – provided Cousins is healthy in 2024 – but the same would of course have been true of a prospect added at No. 10. This case is another which will profile as an interesting ‘what if’ scenario as the performances of the 2024 class play out over time.
Terry Fontenot is clueless
he should have been let go as soon as he brought up the thought to Penix, after signing Cousins
He should have been let go after massively overpaying for cousins to begin with.
Should have been canned after 3 straight 7-10 seasons.
Only time will tell but I thought the entire draft for ATL was awful. 3 defensive tackles, 2 linebackers, another RB and Penix.
3 defensive tackles?
Wouldn’t have made any sense for the Jets to trade from 10 all the way out of the first round, but the Falcons seem to have lost their grip on what makes sense. Again just flummoxed that they could have traded down a few picks (you think Vegas wouldn’t have paid a pretty penny?) and still landed any of the edge rushers. Also puzzled that they traded up to take Orhorhoro with Newton still on the board. I liked their next couple of picks, but just a baffling draft.
The fact that they valued someone enough to want to trade up to #10 to select him but instead blew their #8 pick on a QB they don’t need is really all that needs to be said about what a trainwreck their draft was.
Heard they were looking to move up and select a QB to sit and develop for a few years
Maybe they wanted the #10 pick to take J.J. McCarthy. Then they would have Penix and McCarthy to choose from to take over from the 100 Million Dollar Man Kirk Cousins two years from now.
Don’t forget the Jets own the worst 1st round draft pick ever!:
In 1987, the New York Jets drafted fullback Roger Vick in the 1st round, prompting the legendary “OH NO!” reaction from a fan when Pete Rozelle announced the pick. This is the story of why the Jets drafted him, the logic behind the move, and how his NFL career turned out.
The video on youtube with all of their draft blunders is hilarious.
“So New York, New York is now tight end, tight end!”
Since last year’s really old veteran team was under .500; they decided to double down again & paid two 31+ year old oft injured OT’s, to protect their 40 year old QB.
They’re that predicable of a team.
Hey, Morgan Moses is only old, not oft injured. And bringing in Fashanu to learn behind Smith and step in does make a lot of sense. The Jets have made a ton of blunders in recent and distant past, but for a team that had to rebuild most of its line in one offseason with limited resources, I think they’ve done a very solid job.
$1 says they’re sub .500. It’s in their DNA. Forgot to thrown in an injured old WR as well from the Chargers.
I’d take the other end of that bet. Plenty could go wrong–Rodgers, Williams, and both tackles are all serious injury risks, as you point out–but this year they have an actual backup QB and a much better talent group for the line. I think the upside and downside are both an increment higher this year.
Done deal then. At the end of the season, one of us apologizes right here on the forum saying the other was correct. You agreeing w/ me saying “Jets suck and had another predictable sub .500 season…” or me saying “Oooof was right and the Jets handled the 2024 off season perfectly…”
I’ve been watching the game since the 1970’s, 51 years old, and 95% of the time; crusty old veteran teams pushing for 1 playoff game- tops- just don’t pan out. Especially when a 3rd year HC has a 18-33 record.
Good with the bet?
I said I would take a hypothetical bet of a dollar, not whatever this is.
What’s the other end of the bet? Either the Jets are above .500 or below .500. I say below .500.
They have a terrible HC & GM, an ancient egotistical QB, and washed up OL. That will always be a sub .500 team.
If above .500 I say ‘you’re right’, if below you say ‘I’m right’. Straight forward, not hypothetical. Is the bet on for bragging rights?
The more time passes the more I like what the Falcons did. I will get laughed at but I think this is deeper than one pick. The Falcons obviously did not covet or even trust the DE’s so many mocks had them taking, or possibly didn’t feel they were the right fit for their defensive scheme. It’s possible that they saw draft as being loaded with mid-round defensive depth and decided to wait. Whether or not that is true or will pan out is another story.
As for Penix. Get over it people. The Falcons signed Cousins to a four year deal because they HAD to in order to get him. Did most of you really think Cousins was expected to be an above average starter all four years?
Do you really think the Falcons thought he would give them four above average years? The answers should be NO and NO. I personally think they are hoping on two solid years from Cousins followed by age regression, If that does happen to be the case, then Penix learning for two years with low pressure is a great bridge into his regime. It’s better than waiting until Cousins plays horribly and then running out crap QB’s for two years like the Falcons just did.
Not mocking you or your view. But if the Falcons didn’t like the DE’s (very well could be true), they knew that well before FA. Which meant that they were going w/ a QB in the top 10. The decision to sign Cousins and draft a QB at 8, happened well before last Thursday night.
It was a poorly executed plan by a GM that is 7-10 every season 3 years straight. That record alone allows for outright mocking which is what is happening & rightfully so. Add in the fully guaranteed money & the no trade clause, it’s an awful deal for the Falcons. As always, Kirk is terrific at playing the NFL contract game and walks away w/ another $100m for him and his family. No different than Denver drowning in Russ’ contract and cap hit for 2 years. What is it, the Broncos are paying Wilson $38m NOT to play for them this year?
You know as well as we all do, when there is a 2-3 game losing streak; everyone will be calling for a QB swap which demoralizes teams and usually end up sub .500. That would be 5 years for the GM being well south of an average record, let alone a winning record.
Giants are in the same boat; already talk of both QB’s getting playing time. That means another losing season 90% of the time. Same for the Raiders; is it Minshew or Aiden?
The outs for Cousins’ contract start after the 2025 season. He’s going to be their QB for at least 24 and 25. So reaching for an older rookie QB makes no sense. I could actually see drafting a guy like Daniels. I think he’s 20 years old. But a guy that played an extra year or two in college?
Daniels is 7 months younger than Penix.
Sorry. Mixed up my QBs. Maye is the guy I was thinking of. He’s 21.
I would suggest that there is a dynamic out there where you might want a younger QB if you know he is going to sit for a year, and and older, more experienced QB, if you want a Day 1 starter.
Just thinking of the value, the Broncos might get five full years out of Nix, before he becomes expensive, while the Falcons might only get 2 full years out of Penix.
And if Cousins stays healthy and good (unlikely), you might not see Penix until you have to make that 5th year option decision.
Age isn’t what you think it is these days. I mean, it is in some regards, but I don’t think the impact is what you are making it out to be. The benefit of a rookie scale QB is someone you can build around for cheap. Once they hit the first vet contract that goes away.
In that regard, being older and hopefully more mentally and physically mature could actually be beneficial. Of course, that isn’t a guarantee, but I would not get caught up on the age thing. By the time it matters, he will be into his second or third UFA contract or extension most likely, which really doesn’t impact much.
Spending $100 million on a bridge QB in a league with a salary cap is lunacy. The Falcons are poorly led. The problem is not drafting Penix. It’s signing Cousins for $100 million for two seasons of play and THEN drafting Penix. They simply don’t know what they’re doing.
But if you make the blunder of paying Cousins and probably tampering to sign him, you can’t compound that mistake by drafting a guy who will be 24 in a few days.
Gotta agree. I thought the 8-slot was too high anyway, but then at least you have a 5-year QB, and an extra $40M to spend.
He is not a bridge QB. He is a QB they wanted to contend with for the next two years at the least, and had to pay for four to get him. You weren’t going to get a legit QB on a two year deal. Falcons would be looking at running out a Sam Darnold type.
So, they padded the contract with two years they could get out of at the end if things went badly, or enjoy if they went well .. all the while, they are lining up a potential successor.
To add to this, if the Falcons are as good as they hope with Cousins, they won’t have a draft slot high enough to get the next QB in future years, which means rebuild all over again.
Ppl act like they have a crystal ball on how the draft will go during Free agency months before the draft. Ok they signed cousin which they really needed(unless you want Riddler again) and saw a QB they loved for the future. Why is that so bad? Go look at the Aaron Donald draft, Players are NOT guaranteed. All these folks acting like one pass rusher would make such a big difference must not review the history of drafts and see QB is the most important position. As a skins fan I see no issue and thanks for not drafting newton!
Well, ya gotta start somewhere and “one pass rusher” on a defense with more holes than a Swiss cheese would surely make a difference. And betting on a D lineman has a much higher success rate than rookie QBs- especially when you tell everyone you’re in “win now” mode and the rookie QB is years from starting.
Everyone knew Penix was not going to be drafted before #8. Everyone. That did not require a crystal ball.
Cousins is not the normal Bridge QB. They needed a starter plain and simple. Starting a rookie is not the model, esp for a team stuck at .500 with terrible QB play. So a team can pay Daniel jones, Russ, Tannehil, and others way over market value but ATL can’t pay Kirk? Kirk whom every place he has been overpaid but still produces. It’s sad seeing ppl just regurgitate what they hear on ESPN vs having a real opinion. It’s a two year deal, Daniels is basically the same age and if he plays 10 years he will be younger than Kirk is now. You know the 36 old off Achilles injury QB who’s made more money than any QB in history.
Was this supposed to show that the Falcons were “all in?” Draft a backup QB at 8 because you’re so good you don’t need any more immediate starters?
To draft another quarterback?