Reports: Kirk Cousins surprised by Michael Penix selection

Atlanta spent a lot of money to land Cousins, and angering him in the short-term seems risky.

The Atlanta Falcons paid up in a major way to land Kirk Cousins, the consensus best quarterback available in free agency. It was a move designed to help them win in the here and now, with Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson getting their veteran equivalent to Matthew Stafford or Matt Ryan for a roster they clearly felt was ready to contend. There were long-term questions at the position, sure, but that didn’t necessarily demand an instant fix.

The Falcons instead decided to secure that long-term fix—and again, that’s their perception, not a rock-solid outcome—in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. That may well prove to be the long-term solution the Falcons needed, setting up a seamless succession plan that leads to a glorious era of success in Atlanta. Or it may not, and we may look back at this as the moment the Falcons alienated the quarterback they just signed to an expensive deal, because there are some indications they’ve done just that.

I think Cousins is the kind of professional who won’t make significant waves with this beyond this evening, and if we have any issues, it will come down the line when Penix is gearing up to start. But it’s still striking to me that the Falcons would sink such a significant investment into Cousins, sign him to a multi-year deal, and then not inform him or his camp that they were thinking about taking Penix at No. 8. That’s a level of secrecy that I’m not sure was completely wise, given the fact that it could sour Cousins on the organization he just joined. It’s also, as Thamel fairly points out, not a move that helps the Falcons win right now when Cousins presumably joined this franchise because they wanted to win right now.

And that’s a fair thing for Cousins to worry about, given that he is in the twilight of his career. He joined the Falcons from a fairly comfortable spot in Minnesota because they offered him the best deal, yes, but also because he was confident they could win in the short-term with him at the helm. The moves on offense likely bolstered that belief, but it is difficult to see the Falcons getting dramatically better on defense at this point even with a successful second day of the draft and free agent additions.

Perhaps this also won’t get messy, once Cousins is told in no uncertain terms that Penix is not an immediate threat to his job. But unless the Falcons nail the rest of the draft and add more help in free agency following the draft, there may be a lingering feeling in Cousins’ camp and the fanbase alike that they passed up a chance to add immediate help in favor of future help. If this team struggles at all in 2024, especially on the defensive side of the ball, that’s going to be a feeling that takes hold and curdles into something nastier than a vague sense that the Falcons might’ve made the wrong choice.

While I do think Cousins will do his best to take this in stride, the Falcons had to know they were taking a risk here, and an expensive one. A scenario in which Cousins is not thrilled with this franchise, falters, and Penix is not the guy the Falcons believe him to be would inevitably lead to widespread changes for Atlanta, not to mention more years of misery for a fanbase tired of experiencing exactly that.

The Falcons clearly believe they can walk the thin line here, with Cousins being the unquestioned starter of the moment and Penix being ready to step in and play well when his moment comes. But these are human beings grappling with big decisions that impact their job security, ultimately, and nobody should be surprised if the Falcons have to deal with more fallout from this decision than they originally anticipated.