How Michael Penix Jr. fits into the Atlanta Falcons offense | Local sports

Former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is no stranger to shocking the world.

He did it when he dove for the pylon and stuck out his arm to lead Indiana to an upset victory over Penn State in 2020. He did it when he threw for 4,641 yards during his first season at Montlake, and he did it again when he led the Huskies to the national championship game last season.

But the last time he stunned the football landscape was in the NFL Draft, when the Atlanta Falcons took Penix with the eighth overall pick.

The selection left the football world stunned.

“I definitely wouldn’t have done it,” NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said.

If you take a look at the Flacons offense, the choice seems logical. Penix is ​​a rookie with untapped potential, a cannon for an arm and elite accuracy who will be able to join an offense at the top of a rebuild. Penix’s slew of late-season injuries was a concern for many teams, but he more than held his own with 4,903 passing yards and 39 total touchdowns last season, never missing a game for Washington.

And to make the situation even sweeter for the former Husky star, young talent is everywhere on Atlanta’s depth chart.

Since the 2021 draft, the Falcons have added tight end Kyle Pitts, wide receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson – all of whom were insurmountable collegiate stars. All three have shown flashes of athletic talent and the potential to run a professional offense, but with several years of quarterback struggles and questionable coaching decisions, the Falcons have not been unable to fully release them .

But in drafting Penix, first-year head coach Raheem Morris is looking to unleash that talent.

There’s just one problem: Atlanta just signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​to a four-year, $180 million contract this offseason.

Cousins ​​has been playing in the NFL for 12 years, spending his last six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. He threw for just under 40,000 yards in his career, averaging 263.1 yards per game. Although he was never a star, Cousins ​​established himself as a reliable starter.

That means Penix will participate in summer workouts as a backup, and the Falcons used their coveted top-10 pick on a player who won’t make an immediate impact.

But Atlanta is playing the long game.

Cousins’ 2023 season was cut short when he suffered a torn Achilles in week eight, snuffing out what had been one of his best seasons. Now, the 35-year-old quarterback will look to accomplish one of the hardest things in football: recovering from a season-ending injury.

This is where Penix comes in.

If Cousins ​​stays healthy, Penix will sit on Sundays and use that time to develop chemistry with the Falcons’ young offensive corps.

But if 12 years of attrition interrupts Cousins’ season again, Atlanta has enough of an option to step in and lead the team into the future.

As it stands, Cousins ​​is the present. Penix is ​​the future.

“I’m here to do everything I can to help this team win football games,” Penix said during his introductory press conference for Atlanta. “I’m a team guy and that’s what I’m going to be in the locker room.”

During his rookie season, the best thing Penix can do to help his team win is prepare, improve, and wait for his opportunity.

“I’m going to do a ton of work,” Penix said. “Every time I step on that field…I’m going to succeed.”

Contact reporter Jared Tucker at [email protected]. X: @jaredetucker

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