Falcon Report

Michael Penix Jr. is the Future, Good Insurance for the Present

The Atlanta Falcons hope they don't have to turn to rookie Michael Penix Jr. in 2024, but they're in good hands if they do.

CJ Errickson

Atlanta Falcons first round draft pick quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
Atlanta Falcons first round draft pick quarterback Michael Penix Jr. / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
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This past April, the Atlanta Falcons shocked the world by selecting Michael Penix Jr. as the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of the University of Washington. The debates over the pick have run their course, and nothing can change the fact that he was the team’s first-round selection.

Whether spending a premium pick on a quarterback just weeks after signing Kirk Cousins to a $100-million guaranteed contract was the right move or not, there's no doubting the arm talent of Penix.

That being said, his talent may have to be utilized sooner rather than later. No one likes discussing worst-case scenarios, but anything is possible in today’s NFL, as some teams last season had to utilize three or even four different starters due to injuries or poor performance.

The most pressing worst-case scenario for the Falcons in 2024 is this: If Kirk Cousins does not return to the form that the world has seen in years past, is Michael Penix Jr. an NFL-ready starter at any point this season? It is time to examine this and what the star lefty brings to the table, not just from a talent standpoint but also from a competitive toughness perspective. 

Michael Penix Jr. has faced and overcome adversity his whole football career.

The talented left-handed quarterback played 48 games over six collegiate seasons between Indiana and Washington. The 24-year-old came into his own when he transferred and became a Husky in 2022. Penix Jr. did not have the easiest collegiate road as a three-star recruit out of Tampa, Fla. His injury history alone would be enough for most players to throw in the towel, but his family and the people around him kept him going. 

After only playing in 20 total games in four years as a Hoosier, he decided to bet on himself, saying he could still be a full-time starting quarterback in a Power conference despite the injuries. 

As a winner of numerous prestigious awards and many big games under former collegiate coach Kalen DeBoer, his transition to the NFL should be made easier. Especially considering that he will not be tasked right away to start. For the Falcons, he should provide the organization with peace of mind as the team’s presumable second quarterback listed on the depth chart behind the veteran Kirk Cousins. 

Out of all the quarterbacks Atlanta could have taken in the draft, Penix Jr. can become the one who can potentially handle an impromptu starting situation better and take the reins if something were to happen to their starter, given his windy road to Atlanta.

Of course, no one wants any harm to happen to Cousins, but the team must have a backup plan. The new number nine can potentially be a plug-and-play starter behind one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, one of the top running back talents in the league, and a revamped wide receiver room.

Other players in the locker room have already noted the type of player he is.  

"He looks really promising... Can throw the crap out of the ball. So, the more he just develops and gets ready, I think he's going to be a good player," teammate Taylor Heinicke said. 

If the fate of the 2024 season were to fall in the 6-2 215-pound rookie's hands, there would at least be hope, and sometimes, that is all you can ask for when the original plan delves off course.

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CJ Errickson

CJ ERRICKSON

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