NFL Mock Draft: Atlanta Falcons Land Kirk Cousins Successor?

Michael Penix could be the Atlanta Falcons' quarterback of the future.

Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) passes the ball / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Falcons seemingly solved their quarterback woes by signing Kirk Cousins this offseason, but it isn't exactly a long-term solution.

Cousins has proven himself to be a very capable quarterback throughout his career, but the fact of the matter is he'll be 36 when the season begins and he's coming off a torn Achilles. He can stabilize the quarterback situation for a few years, but it may be wise for the Falcons to start thinking of a succession plan already.

With a strong quarterback class in this year's draft, the Falcons could easily select a signal-caller and have him develop behind Cousins for a few years. Tori McElhaney of AtlantaFalcons.com took this approach, as she projected the Falcons to take Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix at No. 43 overall in her latest mock draft.

Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) drops back to / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

"Hear me out: Do the Falcons need Penix at the moment? No. But do they need to already be thinking about a succession plan for Kirk Cousins? It wouldn't hurt," McElhaney writes. "It was reported by Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer this past week that the Falcons sent a large contingency of decision-makers to Washington to hold a private workout with Penix. Maybe they liked what they saw enough to use a second-round pick on him.

"Maybe it'll work out. Maybe it won't. But if the Falcons use a first-round pick to fill an obvious need at edge rusher, they have the depth and talent at other key positions to gamble a bit in the second round in hopes of landing someone who can sit behind Cousins for a couple years before conversations of his future playing time truly begin."

Since his arrival in 2022, Penix has been the leader for one of the most-dynamic offenses in the country. In just two seasons with the Huskies, the lefty has completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 9,544 yards with 67 touchdowns and just 19 interceptions. He also finished second in Heisman Trophy voting last season as he led Washington to a National Championship Game appearance.

Scouts praise Penix' passing mechanics, but there are some notable red flags for the Tampa, Florida native. He'll already be 24 by the time his rookie season starts, and he suffered multiple major injuries in college including two torn ACLs.

Penix may be a project player in the NFL, but if he can continue his production in college, teams will give him a chance. Whether or not the Falcons will be that team remains to be seen, but it's definitely an intriguing option.