At this time last year, Falcons fans were left puzzled when Arthur Smith elected not to play Desmond Ridder for a snap in the preseason. Those same feelings have been lit with Raheem Morris declaring Michael Penix Jr. done for the preseason after playing just a few series and passing the ball 16 times.
Ridder started four games in his rookie campaign and was very clearly not a finished product. The Falcons deciding not to play him in the preseason was strange considering he could use the experience, but that’s only part of the reason why Smith and Ridder lost their jobs.
It’s a completely different conversation with Michael Penix and Raheem Morris. The Falcons invited controversy to Atlanta when they drafted Penix after giving Kirk Cousins $180 million in free agency. It guaranteed one of two things will happen. The Falcons will either take on a ton of dead money when they decide to move on from the veteran, or they will let Penix ride the pine while his rookie contract, the most valuable thing in this sport, wastes away.
I can see the vision, though. If everything works out for the Falcons, they’ll have competent quarterback play for the next 15 years. However, the process is undoubtedly flawed, and they’ve stumbled already.
To begin training camp, Raheem Morris announced that Penix would split second-team reps with Taylor Heinicke. It was utterly ridiculous to do, and it was quickly realized because Penix soon took every single snap with the second team while Heinicke was relegated to third-team duties, rightfully so.
It was a mistake, but Morris changed course. Hopefully, he recognizes what he’s doing now is also wrong. In no world does it make sense for Michael Penix Jr. to be in street clothes during the Falcons preseason.
The entire injury discourse is ridiculous. Nobody questions Andy Reid when Patrick Mahomes plays in the preseason. Michael Penix Jr. is a raw rookie who needs every single rep if he’s to realize his full potential and eventually take over for Kirk Cousins.
Don’t try to compare the Kirk Cousins, an 11-year veteran coming off the first major injury of his career, to Penix. It’s not even close. Let’s play the hypothetical game, though.
If Penix doesn’t need any more reps, as Morris notes, then why the hell is Kirk Cousins on the roster? If he was so ready, there’s no reason to have Cousins starting in the first place.
Every single live rep, even against backups, is extremely valuable for Michael Penix. The experience far outweighs the risk of injury to a quarterback who isn’t even expected to play meaningful football this year.
There’s no defending this, especially when your primary defense is protecting Michael Penix from injury.
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Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire
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