Michael Penix Jr may be enjoying the most relaxing NFL introduction of any other rookie quarterback. After all, no one is expecting him to replace Kirk Cousins as the Falcons QB1.
In fact, Penix needs only to learn the Falcons playbook and watch the 35-year-old Cousins. Both are new to Atlanta, but Penix is the rookie while Cousins is entering his 13th season in the NFL.
“I think it’s been fun to watch him learn from Kirk,” said Falcons coach Raheem Morris earlier this month. “I think the cool part is him being in the background, being able to process, watching Kirk go through his way of doing his deal and be his authentic self. When (Cousins) calls a play, he’s able to inject his personality into the play call with the guys when they come out of the huddle.”
Falcons need quality QB to get beyond 7 wins
The Falcons fired coach Arthur Smith in January after he failed to bring Atlanta beyond 7-10 for the past three years. The general consensus was the team needed a better quarterback. So the Falcons signed Cousins, the former Viking, to a big contract. The quarterback’s hefty deal is for four years and $180 million, with $100 million guaranteed. If all goes as planned, Cousins can finish his NFL career in the ATL.
However, the Falcons shocked everyone on the first night of the NFL Draft by selecting Penix, the Washington star and Heisman runnerup, with the eighth pick. Most draft analysts predicted Atlanta would go defense with No. 8. Instead, they took Penix, who was the fourth quarterback off the board.
The other five probably will be expected to start this season. The Bears, after trading starter Justin Fields to the Steelers, picked Caleb Williams at No. 1. The Commanders sent starter Sam Howell to Seattle then picked LSU star and Heisman winner Jayden Daniels with the second pick. Then the Patriots opted for Carolina’s Drake Maye at No. 3. Earlier, they’d traded Mac Jones, the starter for the past three seasons, to the Jaguars.
After Penix, the Vikings traded up for Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy. Minnesota needs a successor to Cousins. Then the Broncos opted for Oregon’s Bo Nix at No. 12. Denver released starter Russell Wilson six weeks before the draft.
So, there’s not a desperate need at quarterback in Atlanta unless Cousins has problems with his recovery from Achilles surgery. Cousinstold reporters when he signed with the Falcons that he should be full speed by June or the latest July’s training camp.
Morris told Penix to watch every detail in regards to Cousins from how he interacts with teammates to how he calls plays.
“I like the way Mike’s been able to take that from him,” Morris said. “Being able to see how he relates it to his guys and gets them out there and breaks the huddle. (Then) to break the snap and come out with efficiency, and to be able to throw the ball where it needs to go.”
The Falcons targeted Penix as a potential first rounder after scouts watched him play against Texas in the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs. The team studied him at the NFL Combine then sent a group to his pro day at Washington.
Zac Robinson, the former Oklahoma State quarterback who is the new Falcons offensive coordinator, knew they had their guy.
“There were multiple moments throughout the process when you realize that he is a special quarterback,” Robinson told reporters.
But now Penix has the luxury of learning without an accelerated timeline.
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