The Falcons drafted Michael Penix more than a week ago, but the dust still hasn’t settled, and it probably won’t for years to come. That’s the worst part about this entire situation.
It’s not the misallocation of resources. It’s not that Atlanta gave Kirk Cousins $180 million with $90 million guaranteed and used their most valuable draft pick on his successor, so they won’t be able to maximize either contract.
The worst part isn’t even Michael Penix, the prospect. The Falcons could hit the nail on the head with the 2024 top draft pick, but we know how difficult evaluating quarterbacks is in this league. Typically, one out of every three signal callers turns into a franchise quarterback in the first round.
Numbers would suggest that four of Penix, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix will flame out. So, there is a chance that Penix isn’t that guy; however, that’s not the worst part about picking him.
It’s something I’ve been talking about a lot recently. The worst part about the entire situation in Atlanta is that there will be no sense of fulfillment, either way, for years to come. Those outspoken against the Penix-Cousins situation won’t find gratification for years, and those who staunchly support the plan won’t either.
Ideally, the Falcons compete in the postseason, even win a Super Bowl with Cousins playing most, if not all of his contract out in Atlanta. Then, there will be a smooth, yet quick transition to Penix, who doesn’t miss a beat and even elevates the offense due to his superior arm.
That’s a very narrow runway. If even one wheel comes off, the entire airplane could crash and burn. In a world where we have everything we could imagine in the palm of our hands, patience is becoming a forgotten quality that we could all use a little more of, especially football fans. We want immediate satisfaction, one way or the other. In Atlanta, we won’t have that.
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Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire
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