Amidst the shuffling at the quarterback position, the Atlanta Falcons are expected to move on from Kirk Cousins this offseason.
Adam Schefter reports that the Atlanta Falcons are set to move on from quarterback Kirk Cousins prior to his $10 million roster bonus due March 17. The anticipated move is an outright release which would grant Cousins free agency status.
The Falcons signed the veteran quarterback in the offseason to a 4-year, $180 million contract. The move at the time was viewed through the scope of the Falcons having done their due diligence on Kirk Cousins’ recovery from his Achilles injury. What drew plenty of consternation and bewilderment was when the Falcons followed up in the 2024 NFL Draft by selecting Michael Penix Jr. with the 8th pick in the first round.
The fallout as to who loses their job over this mismanagement of money remains to be seen. In the meantime, Michael Penix Jr. will be given every opportunity to show he is the quarterback of the future. With free agency status, Kirk Cousins will have many paths available to him. Due to the nature of Cousins’ poor play and injury recovery, a Russell Wilson path as a starter on a team in transition on a low budget deal looks enticing. The Cleveland Browns are a team that comes to the forefront in a scenario like that.
Jeremiah Retzlaff, @coachretzlaff1
Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has ...
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Amid struggles of quarterback Kirk Cousins, the Atlanta Falcons are making a change to Michael Penix Jr. as their starting quarterback.
The Atlanta Falcons are making a big change at quarterback. With Kirk Cousins struggling to move the ball and complete passes to his own teammates, the Falcons announced they will be starting rookie Michael Penix Jr. in week 16 versus the New York Giants.
Michael Penix Jr. was drafted 8th overall in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. At the time, the move was met with curiosity and plenty of raised eyebrows. After securing Kirk Cousins with a 4-year, $180 million contract the Falcons front office was met with plenty of incredulity.
Michael Penix will provide an instant boost to the passing game. His cannon of a left arm will give life to Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and hopefully resuscitate tight end Kyle Pitts. Kirk Cousins showed in recent weeks that he was unable to drive through is lower body to add zip to his passes. This will not be a problem for Michael Penix.
The Falcons offense will get a massive boost. Penix’s ability to sling the football will make life easier for Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier out of the backfield. Fire up all Falcons in week 16 versus the Giants.
Jeremiah Retzlaff, @coachretzlaff1
The Atlanta Falcons are fighting for a playoff spot and have flexibility to start rookie Michael Penix Jr. if needed.
Kirk Cousins had a disaster of a day Sunday versus the Los Angeles Chargers. The calls for Michael Penix Jr. to take over the starting role in Atlanta are growing louder by the hour.
Kirk Cousins threw 4 backbreaking interceptions in a losing effort to the Chargers. The narrow 17-13 loss could be a key differentiator for seeding come playoff time. The loss drops the Falcons to a tie in the NFC South with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The 2.1 fantasy point performance is difficult to forgive, yet easy for fantasy gamers to either bench or cut Kirk Cousins. For real life implications in the NFL, the Falcons may feel it is just as easy to bench Kirk Cousins with Michael Penix Jr. waiting in the wings.
Ironically, Kirk Cousins is set to face the Minnesota Vikings who he played for the last 6 seasons. While a change may occur this week, there is a chance that the Minnesota game allows Kirk Cousins one more opportunity to take over his opponent’s trap. This is a situation to fluidly monitor. The big takeaway is that Michael Penix Jr. dynasty shares are close to being alive and that he should be picked up off of all Superflex waiver wires in redraft leagues.
Jeremiah Retzlaff, @coachretzlaff1
The 2024 Falcons are showing signs of having chemistry on and off the field.
Falcons beat reporter Marc Raimondi reports that quarterback Kirk Cousins is staying in the same room as fellow quarterbacks Taylor Heinicke and Michael Penix Jr. Of note, the trio is also rooming with tight end Kyle Pitts.
While Cousins is making jokes about the temperature setting with his roommates, it is good hearing that core offensive players are spending the maximum amount of time together while at training camp. Kyle Pitts is smart to stick around his quarterbacks as all he wants this year are targets en masse.
Currently, Kyle Pitts goes at the 5-6 turn on UnderDog while Kirk Cousins is going in round 13. For custodian builds and superflex contests, Michael Penix Jr. is a free pick in round 18. Investing in the Falcons offense will prove to be profitable in 2024.
The Washington Huskies Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has been selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the number 8 pick in the NFL Draft.
Michael Penix may not receive the same level of praise as Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or even J.J. McCarthy, but he stands out as the most intriguing quarterback of the class.
Despite having torn his ACL twice in college, he performed well at the NFL Combine, running a 4.57 and testing in the 95th percentile in both vertical and broad jump. Penix possesses some impressive athletic abilities that the Falcons could not ignore, ultimately leading to his selection at pick 8.
Penix will have an opportunity to sit and learn behind veteran Kirk Cousins. It’s safe to say Penix will not be on the field in 2024 with the contract given to Cousins this offseason barring any injuries. With dynamic players such as Pitts and London leading the charge, Penix’s future is looking bright, even if he has to wait for a year or two. When he assumes his new job in Atlanta, he should have no excuse for not having enough offensive weapons around him.
Dynasty managers should be aware that Michael has a high ceiling but also a low floor. It remains to be seen if Penix can avoid major injuries on an NFL field and be a quality NFL quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. Some fantasy players may find a bargain in drafting Penix during dynasty drafts, many might not want to wait for the potential of the strong-armed lefty to develop.
