Coming into the NFL Draft, the Falcons had glaring needs on the defensive side of the ball, prompting many to speculate that Dallas Turner or Laiatu Latu would be the 8th overall pick.
Those two pass rushers were the co-betting favorites heading into Thursday’s first round, followed by Byron Murphy and Rome Odunze. None of them ended up being the pick.
The Falcons shocked the world when they selected Michael Penix after giving Kirk Cousins $180 million less than two months prior. It reportedly caught the veteran off guard, and how could it not?
Everyone expected the Falcons to bolster the defense, or at the very least give Cousins another weapon in Zac Robinson’s offense. Well, it seems the Falcons were still trying to upgrade the defense, despite the Penix pick.
According to NFL insider and former Falcons beat reporter Steve Wyche, Terry Fontenot was trying to trade back into the first round with the intention of drafting Laiatu Latu.
In my report on the Falcons drafting QB Michael Penix with the No. 8 pick, I also added that they tried to trade up into the first to get edge rusher Laiatu Latu…who ended up with Indy at 15. pic.twitter.com/pJ61Dsfsxb
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) April 26, 2024
The Falcons didn’t make the roster better on Thursday. Michael Penix can’t help the team win right now, but that’s not to say he can’t in the future. Obviously, we all hope he’s the future franchise quarterback.
However, a guy like Laiatu Latu would’ve made this team better right now. It tells me, at the very least, that the Falcons recognize the defense isn’t good enough as currently constructed.
Latu ended up with the Colts, but Fontenot will have three picks on Friday’s Day 2 to improve the defense, hopefully using a pair of picks to address the pass rush.
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Photographer: Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire
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