The Atlanta Falcons were among the busiest teams in the NFL during this free agency cycle. Most notably, the club dove headfirst into the quarterback market and landed former Vikings signal-caller Kirk Cousins and inked him to a four-year, $180 million contract. While Cousins may be the quarterback of today, that doesn't appear to be preventing Atlanta from searching for their quarterback of tomorrow.
The Falcons are sending a large contingent to Seattle on Friday for a private workout with Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., according to The MMQB. Among that group is head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot.
Penix has been a polarizing prospect throughout this pre-draft process. While he dazzled during his days with Washington -- including a run to the National Championship this past year -- his injury history has been a red flag. That said, his arm talent is tantalizing and his stock has reportedly been climbing as the draft draws closer reportedly thanks, in part, to his ability to manipulate the line of scrimmage.
For Atlanta, who holds the No. 8 overall pick, this would be a luxury pick if they did pull the trigger on bringing aboard Penix, but it'd also be a savvy maneuver. After all, if Cousins takes the club to new heights in 2024, they likely won't be inside the top 10 at the 2025 draft to sniff at another top quarterback prospect.
Also, Cousins is entering his age-36 season and is recovering from a torn Achilles that ended his season with Minnesota last year. With that in mind, there's no telling what he'll look like post-injury at this point, so having the insurance policy of a talent like Penix to slot in if Cousins can't rekindle his form could prove to be massive. At the very least, he'd simply serve as the heir apparent and develop as the backup.
If Atlanta goes through with making him the No. 8 overall pick, it would be one of the more surprising moves of the first round and send a number of QB-needy teams that are currently behind the Falcons on the board into a tizzy.
