The surprise of Thursday's first round of the 2024 NFL draft came from the Atlanta Falcons when they selected quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick despite signing veteran Kirk Cousins to a four-year deal worth up to $180 million this offseason, but general manager Terry Fontenot had a long-term plan.
"We do something else right here, and then we win for the next few seasons and then Kirk decides to hang up the cleats, whenever that is, then Michael Penix is somewhere playing at a really high level and we're in quarterback purgatory, we don't have a quarterback," Fontenot said, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.