Breaking down the complete transformation of the Falcons QB position

Atlanta went from an uncertain future to an extremely certain one in short order.

We’re capping off our post-offseason roster review of sorts, which began with special teams back in May. and we inevitably turn to a vital and drastically changed position. Aside from the triumphant return of Raheem Morris and the heavy investments at wide receiver and defensive line, the way the Atlanta Falcons attacked this quarterback group is the major story of 2024 thus far.

Why? Because after two years of Arthur Smith smirking and shrugging his way through the team’s ill-fated flirtations with high-end backups and a third round quarterback who went through an extended, painful meltdown, the Falcons decided there was no way they could half-ass the position again in 2024. Instead, they double-assed it, getting not one but two starting quarterbacks, albeit with the ability to only start one this season.

That decision was meant to give the Falcons a high floor and ceiling on offense in 2024, as well as a long-term solution for when their mid-30s, high-priced veteran signing fades or simply runs out of contract runway. A lot has to go right for these twin decisions to pay off the way the Falcons want them to, but there’s no point in denying that the aggression is both bold and welcome.

Let’s take one last look at what happened at quarterback ahead of training camp.

Changes at the position: Sweeping

It was always unlikely that the Falcons were going to go into 2024 with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke as their two quarterbacks, even before they canned Arthur Smith. Once Smith was swept out, it was fair to assume one or both of those players would go with him.

Ridder was flipped to Arizona for Rondale Moore and Heinicke is still here, albeit perhaps not by the time the team cuts down the roster to 53 players. The Falcons also added one more quarterback in the form of John Paddock, a college undrafted free agent, who will have at least a slim chance of taking a practice squad spot. But the real big moves, obviously, were the acquisitions of Kirk Cousins via free agency and Michael Penix via the draft.

Atlanta’s fixation on Cousins reflects the preferences of their new offensive coordinator, Zac Robinson, a Sean McVay disciple who worked with sharp passers in Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles. While Cousins is older now and coming off an injury, his ability to consistently put the ball in the hands of his playmakers is something Robinson values and this offense badly needs. The Falcons paid a premium to get him, and then the team gave us some warm words about Taylor Heinicke, the sole incumbent on the roster.

Heinicke, of course, is stylistically very different than Cousins, which led me to wonder whether the Falcons were done adding to the group. At his best, Heinicke is an improvisational wizard who can scramble effectively and makes up for somewhat come-and-go accuracy with his ability to deliver strikes on the run. He might have been a lock to back up Cousins even with that clash had the Falcons not then drafted Michael Penix.

Penix is an underrated athlete, but at a fundamental level he’s built to be the kind of pocket passer Robinson and this offense favor, and that and his makeup likely explain why the Falcons fell in love with him. With a big arm, quality accuracy, and the toughness to hang in there and take big hits in service of slinging it, Penix should be a natural fit in this offense when he becomes the starting quarterback. The fact that the Falcons used a top ten selection to get him suggests we won’t have to wait the life of his rookie contract.

Key additions

• Kirk Cousins: You can make a case for Cousins as the best fourth round quarterback selection ever, with Rich Gannon and Joe Theismann being his only real competition for the honor. Cousins is just outside the top 20 all-time in passing yardage, could go as high as 15th all-time in touchdowns, and has been an impressively precise, prolific passer throughout his NFL career. The Falcons added him, post-major injury and all, with an expectation that two years of scattershot accuracy and unforgivable turnovers will come to an end with Cousins under center. That seems like an excellent bet so long as he’s healthy, and Cousins’ good-but-not-stellar arm and precise passing figure to continue to age well, giving him a real chance to flirt with top 10 quarterback production over the next one-to-three years in Atlanta. No single move figures to lift the Falcons further in 2024 than this one, with Cousins expected to finally utilize the core of intriguing weapons this team has assembled as effectively as they envisioned back when they drafted Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson.
• Michael Penix: Atlanta’s long-term play at the quarterback postion was one of the stunners of the 2024 NFL Draft, given that they had already handed Cousins that big contract. But this was about Atlanta lining up a succession plan for Cousins that they simply didn’t have for Matt Ryan, and they fell in love with Penix in the pre-draft process. While he has to work on his accuracy over the middle of the field in particular and his age and injury history are twin concerns that will follow him around throughout his career, a live-armed quarterback with a coaching staff excited to work with him and a strong supporting cast like Atlanta’s should put Penix in a position to succeed over the long haul. Right now, it’s just a question of whether he’ll be the backup and first option on the field for Cousins if injury crops up, and I’d expect him to be. The hope is that by the time he’s ready to see the field as a full-time starter, Penix is every bit as good as the level of investment and faith the Falcons have placed in him would suggest.