The #1 story coming out of the NFL Draft is the Falcons taking Michael Penix Jr. right after handing Kirk Cousins $180 million. Whether they like it or not, it is going to be a cloud hanging over the entire organization for several years, something Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot will have to answer endless questions about.
However, it’s not just the Falcons brass being asked the questions. General managers from around the league are giving their thoughts on Atlanta’s decision to draft Penix. Most recently, it was the Bucs GM Jason Licht chiming in, who doesn’t agree with the national narrative surrounding the Falcons right now.
Jason Licht on Falcons taking Michael Penix: "I'm sure they have their reason for it, which I can see. It's a good long-term plan there. If you hit on him, you've got the future. I totally understood it."
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) April 26, 2024
In most cases, general managers like to protect other general managers. There’s no benefit for Licht to come out and laugh at the Falcons for picking Michael Penix like Ryan Poles did following the first round of the draft.
This could be nothing more than just coach speak from the Bucs GM, but there are some people out there that see the Falcons’ vision. It never hurts to have too many good quarterbacks in the room. It’s the most important position in all of sports, and there are a lot of teams out there that are dying to have just one competent quarterback, let alone two.
If you like a quarterback that much in the draft and don’t plan on drafting high again in the future, you don’t let that prospect slip out of your grasp. The Falcons’ decision might be ridiculed today, but they could be praised in the future for their ingenuity. Just because it hasn’t been done before, doesn’t mean it won’t become a trend in the future. The Falcons are hoping it works out and other organizations follow their lead. If it doesn’t, the tenures of Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris will be short-lived in Atlanta.
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Photographer: Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire
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