Because the Falcons went out and drafted Michael Penix Jr. 8th overall, it already has media pundits talking about potential outs when it comes to Kirk Cousins, who they handed a four-year contract worth $180 million less than two months ago with $100 million in guarantees and a $50 million signings bonus. For folks wondering about a potential out if Cousins’ doesn’t heal properly from his torn Achilles, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk recently confirmed that is not apart of the contract. Per a source with knowledge of the terms, Cousins’s $50 million signing bonus requires the passing of a ..read more

Ever since Terry Fontenot took over for Thomas Dimitroff, the Falcons have seemingly been making it up as they go along, just a complete scatterbrain operation. With Matt Ryan in the twilight years of his career and no salary cap flexibility, Atlanta made Kyle Pitts the highest-drafted tight end in league history, signaling to the rest of the league they would be competing. A 7-10 finish was probably better than most expected and gave the fan base hope. Then, in the Fontenot-Smith regime’s second offseason, turmoil struck. Pursuing Deshaun Watson alienated a portion of the fan base and, most i ..read more

No matter your opinion on the Falcons drafting Michael Penix Jr. with the 8th overall pick, he’s set up to be the future of the organization. Terry Fontenot is extremely confident in his selection and a lot is riding on his development behind Kirk Cousins. If it doesn’t work, it won’t be long before everyone in the organization is filling out job applications. For the sake of the sanity of Falcons fans, I pray this works out for the better, but if the 2021 draft class has shown us anything, nothing can be assumed when it comes to the quarterback position. Even first round draft picks work out ..read more

The Falcons have been scolded by media pundits across the board for their selection of Michael Penix Jr. in the first round. It’s the biggest storyline coming out of the NFL Draft, and people have every right to question Atlanta’s plan after they also just signed Kirk Cousins to a $180 million contract in free agency. It’s the kind of move that can make or break a regime. If Penix doesn’t pan out, Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot will have a difficult time keeping their jobs. However, the draft is about a lot more than just the first round. Fontenot has shown a knack for finding significant co ..read more

The Falcons can come out and say there’s no quarterback controversy and Kirk Cousins is their guy all they want. I genuinely believe they are 100% dead set on Cousins starting all 17 games this upcoming season, providing he is healthy. However, they aren’t the ones who get to decide whether there is quarterback controversy or not. The noise has already begun, with NFL pundits already discussing when Kirk Cousins will be traded, and the calls will only grow louder for Penix if he impresses during training camp and the preseason. Most recently, NFL Network’s Marc Ross had a bold prediction, proc ..read more

It’s never too early to think about next year. Hell, the Falcons even showed that in this year’s draft when they selected Michael Penix Jr, who very well might not take a meaningful snap for 2-3 years because the Falcons also just signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year deal. It was a head-scratching decision by an organization most known for making head-scratching decisions. However, in PFF’s way too early mock draft for 2025, the Falcons go in the direction most expected them to go this year, taking the top edge rusher left on the board, Abdul Carter out of Penn State. 22. ATLANTA FALCONS: EDGE A ..read more

The negative press surrounding the Falcons for drafting Michael Penix Jr. 8th overall just weeks after handing Kirk Cousins $180 million is at an all time high. However, the Falcons brass knew that would be the case when they made the decision, yet it still didn’t waver their conviction in Penix, who they believe is a can’t miss prospect. In a few years, we’ll know if they are right. NFL insider Jordan Schultz recently told a fantastic story of the moment they knew they could not pass up on Michael Penix if he fell to them in the draft. The Falcons knew they wanted Michael Penix Jr. prior to ..read more

The Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a $180 million free agent contract six weeks ago. Last Thursday, they also drafted his successor, taking Michael Penix Jr. 8th overall. It was a peculiar decision and frankly an unprecedented move. If Atlanta can navigate the complex dynamic in the coming years, the Falcons could really go the next 15 years with stable quarterback play. It’s what every NFL franchise strives for. However, there are more scenarios where it doesn’t work out. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad situation for Penix or Cousins. In fact, I could argue that no prospect would’ve put the team ..read more

The Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. six weeks after giving Kirk Cousins a four-year, $180 million free agent deal. It’s obviously created a whirlwind of criticism, questions, and confusion among fans and the media. What makes it even worse is how Atlanta’s brass has handled the fallout. Terry Fontenot said if Penix sits for four or five years, that’s a good thing. Now, I consider that comment to be a lot of coachspeak and hyperbole, but it still speaks volumes about the disorganization of this franchise. Raheem Morris also had a head-scratching comment about the dynamic between Cousins ..read more

The Atlanta Falcons just can’t help themselves. A handful of other teams pursued Deshaun Watson as well as passed on Lamar Jackson and Bill Belichick, but it’s only the Falcons that are ridiculed in the national spotlight. During an offseason where fans thought the organization was on the right track with the acquisition of Kirk Cousins, they followed it up with one of the most controversial draft picks in NFL history. Selecting Michael Penix six weeks after handing Cousins $180 million is an unprecedented move the league has never seen. The situation isn’t similar to the Packers or Chiefs, an ..read more