The Atlanta Falcons created the most surprising decide of the first round in the 2024 NFL Draft, picking out Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 in general decide on. Since the Falcons presently signed former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason, they have been not anticipated to just take a quarterback in the initial round of this year’s draft.
Cousins was reportedly unaware that the Falcons ended up drafting Penix No. 8 general, for every NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah.
“I just attained out to his agent in Mike McCartney, and I am positive Ian (Rapaport) has talked to him, as properly. He was not provided a heads up,” Jeremiah said on the NFL Community broadcast of the draft. “Kirk Cousins was not offered really a heads up on this full point.”
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In accordance to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Cousins was mindful the Falcons ended up interested in a quarterback, but was “surprised” by the group getting Penix in the 1st round.
“The Falcons identified as Kirk Cousins when they had been on the clock, and a league source indicated that Cousins understood a quarterback would be considered by the Falcons at some issue in the draft. Nevertheless, he did not think his potential successor would be taken in the first spherical, leaving him stunned. Cousins’ offseason acquisition by the Falcons could go down as the most expensive smokescreen in sports activities background,” Russini documented.
It truly is unclear if the Falcons intend for Penix and Cousins to fight it out for the starting up position or if they program to have Penix study driving Cousins to start off his vocation. Though the Falcons did provide in Cousins, he is heading to be 36 yrs old by the time the 2024 season starts and is coming off a torn achilles. It does make perception for the Falcons to convey in a backup possibility and/or draft their quarterback of the future, but it is even now astonishing that they took Penix No. 8 over-all when they had other team requires.
What can make the transfer more shocking is the Falcons signed Cousins to a 4-year, $180 million with $100 million confirmed. Provided their expense in Cousins for 4 years and the actuality that Penix is by now turning 24 yrs aged this season, it will be appealing to see how the Falcons manage the two quarterbacks going forward.
It would seem probable that Cousins will nonetheless be the Falcons’ starter to commence the 2024 season so lengthy as he is entirely again from his achilles injury and the Falcons will give Penix time to find out. Cousins has been a single of the better NFL commencing quarterbacks all through his time with the Vikings, together with just lately foremost the staff to the playoffs in the 2022-23 year.
With Cousins joining an offense that now attributes working back Bijan Robinson, large receiver Drake London, and limited end Kyle Pitts, the Falcons really should be completely ready to contend with Cousins at the helm in 2024. His very long-expression long term with the Falcons seems substantially extra up in the air than prior to the NFL Draft commenced subsequent this choose.
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