The Falcons used the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Washington quarterback Michael Penix. Instead of addressing a bigger need on the defensive side of the football, like a cornerback or an edge rusher, the team added a successor to Kirk Cousins.
This left many, including Cousins himself, stunned by the pick. To this point in the draft, teams were given at least a “good” grade for their respective selections by Pro Football Focus.
However, the Falcons were the first team to be given a poor grade with their selection of Penix earning a “below average” mark from PFF:
This is the first shocker of the night. Penix had gained more first-round buzz leading up to tonight, but no one thought the Falcons were in the quarterback market after signing Kirk Cousins this offseason. Penix was the only quarterback in college football who recorded more than 40 big-time throws during the 2023 season. Atlanta clearly values his skill set and will look to develop him behind Cousins. – PFF
The selection of Penix didn’t sit well with Falcons fans either given that the team offloaded a large portion of their salary cap space, along with the potential loss of draft picks next year, to pursue Cousins.
It has much less to do with Penix as a prospect/talent than it does with taking a long-term approach with a team that has a win-now roster. If the Falcons can land some difference-making talent on Day 2, the plan will make more sense, but most of the top edge rushers are off the board.
We’ll see what Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot has up his sleeve for the team’s second-round pick (No. 43) on Friday evening.