The Atlanta Falcons shocked the world during the NFL Draft by selecting Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick. Some fans wondered if team owner Arthur Blank was OK with the selection since the front office already signed Kirk Cousins.
Well, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Falcons were told that Blank approved the pick.
“Owner Arthur Blank looms large here. I’m told he fully endorsed long-term stability at the position, which Kirk Cousins, at age 35, cannot satisfy to the same degree,” Fowler wrote. “Blank had two quarterbacks – Michael Vick and Matt Ryan – controlling his offense for the better part of two decades. Blank is not used to the QB carousel.”
Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot took a lot of heat for selecting Penix. It’s the type of move that could cost him his job if the left-handed gunslinger doesn’t work out.
Fontenot has already explained that Penix isn’t going to start this fall. The plan is for him to eventually be the team’s long-term answer at quarterback, though.
“Kirk Cousins is our quarterback,” Fontenot said. “We’re very excited about Kirk. We’re very excited about this team. Michael Penix is … we’re talking about the future. You look at the future. You look at the big picture. We are very excited about that quarterback room, and again, Kirk is our quarterback. But adding Michael Penix is thinking about the future.”
If Penix develops into a franchise quarterback, the Falcons will get to pull up a lot of receipts.