Can Falcons starting QB Michael Penix Jr. live up to expectations this year?

NFL analyst Doug Farrar broke down his potential.

My initial reaction when the Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was shock. I wasn’t shocked by the team wanting Penix, who was my favorite non-Ohio State quarterback to watch during the 2023 NCAA season. And I wasn’t shocked by the draft position, given Penix’s skill set. But the decision to sign Kirk Cousins to a yachtload of guaranteed money definitely raised some questions for me.

That said, I’m a proponent of drafting the quarterback of the future and letting them learn behind a seasoned veteran before being pushed into a starting position. I think Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco shifted teams’ ideas about what rookie quarterbacks are capable of, and we’ve seen plenty of guys starting as rookies who don’t pan out. I came around quickly to embrace this two-quarterback situation. If Cousins could be a reliable starter and Penix had the opportunity to adapt to the speed of the game without the pressure of carrying the offense right out of the gate, that sounded like a win/win to me.

Of course, that’s not what happened. Cousins wasn’t fully healthy and ended up getting even less healthy as the season went on. Penix was pushed into starting, and while it’s a small sample size, he showed enough promise to lock up the spot heading into this sesason. So what can we expect from the second-year QB with a full offseason to prepare to start?

My friend and colleague Doug Farrar (you may remember him from his recent Hidden Gems story on The Falcoholic about underrated players on the Falcons’ roster this season) covered the expectations for Athlon Sports.

Doug’s one of the best analysts I know, and I don’t want to give away too much because you absolutely should read the article. But here are some high points:

• Penix’s “athletic arrogance” is a key to both his potential and his success — but it could also be his downfall. Finding the balance is going to be key for the second-year signal caller. When it works, it really works. Case in point:

• Penix is critical and objective in evaluating his own performance, and he brings a veteran perspective despite being a second-year player. “… watching film with him, he sees the game so well. And the conversation is so easy and fluid. He sees the game like a veteran quarterback,” Zac Robinson said.
• Cousins and his no-trade clause are still the elephant in the room. It’s absurd to be paying that much for a backup quarterback. But it’s looking more and more like that might be exactly what the Falcons do.

What are your expectations for Penix this year? Scroll down and share your thoughts in the comments.