Why did the Atlanta Falcons draft quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft last week after signing quarterback Kirk Cousins to a 4-year, $180 million deal in March?
The answer is as easy as it is incredibly complicated. The simple answer is the Falcons clearly think Penix is a franchise-changing quarterback who will benefit from sitting for a couple of seasons behind a pro’s pro like Cousins before taking over as the starter.
Fontenot told Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer that it would be “unforgivable” to pass up a player that the franchise felt was a bonafide franchise quarterback to explain why Penix was the pick.