When Raheem Morris was hired as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, he didn’t dance around the fact that the quarterback position was clearly holding the team back.
Despite fielding a trio of dynamic playmakers at the skill positions, the offense struggled last year under second-year QB Desmond Ridder. Backup Taylor Heinicke didn’t fare much better and head coach Arthur Smith was fired after posting a third consecutive 7-10 record.
“If we had better QB play last year in Atlanta, I might not be standing here,” Morris told reporters at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.
The Falcons’ new head coach wasn’t going to make the same mistake. The team aggressively went after Kirk Cousins in free agency before shocking the entire NFL by selecting Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick in the draft.
Love it or hate it, Atlanta’s quarterback room was severely lacking in 2023 and the front office addressed it. The Falcons’ passing game was listed among the NFL’s most improved position groups in a new feature by Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar.
Farrar highlights the team’s addition of offensive coordinator Zach Robinson, who comes from the infamous Sean McVay pipeline:
The Falcons’ passing game could be one of those great marriages that just started off with a really weird first date. — Doug Farrar, Touchdown Wire
Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot bought into the idea of securing the present and the future at the QB position in the same offseason. Cousins may have a four-year deal, but Penix is a great insurance policy in case the veteran hasn’t fully healed from his Achilles injury.
The Falcons will face both of Cousins’ former teams this season. In Week 14, Atlanta plays the Minnesota Vikings on the road before a matchup against Dan Quinn and the Washington Commanders in Week 17.
Check out the team’s full 17-game schedule and updated 90-man roster (featuring uniform numbers).