Starting Off Right
The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft took place last night in Detroit, Michigan. Rap artist and Detroit native Eminem opened the show by showing up on stage and hyping up the crowd, all 150,000 of them.
The Chicago Bears were then placed on the clock, and as if it were scripted the 2024 NFL Draft was underway with draft picks going where everyone thought they would.
Just Plain Crazy
This off season, the Atlanta Falcons traded Desmond Ridder, drafted in the 3rd round in 2021 NFL Draft, with hopes of being a franchise QB, but 2024 set him on a new course. in Arizona as almost to set him off into the sunset.
Atlanta then signed Kirk Cousins, 35, to a near guaranteed $100M dollar contract for 4 years. This kind of move signifies you are ready to push for a Superbowl and that the time is now. The 2024 NFL Draft was supposed to build the team to achieve that goal with the QB now in place. Cousins is coming off a torn Achilles injury he suffered in week 8 of last season.
The Athletic reported, “Cousins was informed that Atlanta would be taking a QB in the later rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft” as part of the courting process to bring Cousins to Atlanta. Read Here
At pick number 8, the Atlanta Falcons were on the clock. With needs on defense and adding another WR possibly, this pick had to hit. Edge rusher would have a been a big grab at 8 satisfying a huge need for pass rush ability, but the Falcons submitted their pick.
With the 8th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select Dalla….Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
Folks, remember this moment in time. For the first time, it is NOT the Washington Commanders who have made this blunder, it is the Atlanta Falcons.
Kirk Cousins was asked about the pick in which he stated, “I’m confused. What about that pick helps us win now and the help the team overall?” It’s understanding for Cousins to be frustrated when the roster of the Falcons has some big holes in it.
To be honest, this has just about everyone in the NFL world a bit confused., so you’re not alone Kirk.
A Bad Choice
For any NFL team executive, this was simply a bad choice. If Cousins was not on the roster, than I could see this move and understand it. Numerous scouts praised the Washington QB. But Atlanta brought Cousins in and paid him to bring them a trophy.
Then the Falcons take Michael Penix Jr. at pick 8 overall. Penix is 23 years old and has played a lot of college football. He started at Indiana, then transferred to Washington to lead the Huskies to a national title game.
The likelihood of seeing Penix on the field in the next 4 years is slim. With a guaranteed contract like Cousins, you play Cousins. Penix will be 27 by then, and without any real game experience, you have to make the option of paying Penix to a 5th year for his first year to start, or, you drop him altogether and start over.
A very bad choice to make at 8 overall
Atlanta had other options at QB later in the draft such as:
- Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
- Michael Pratt, Tulane
- Joe Milton, Tennessee
- Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
- Jordan Travis, Florida State
Any of those 5 could have been developed over time for much cheaper and given a chance to start down the road.
Conclusion
The 2024 NFL Draft seemed to go off without a hitch, unless you are the Atlanta Falcons. Terry Fontenot cannot be that misguided to think that he had to take a QB at that moment in the draft. He was. Atlanta put themselves on the map for one of the worst draft picks of all time, and that player has not even taken a snap.
Penix has to be excited to play in the NFL and let alone get drafted. It’s a player’s dream to be drafted and play in the NFL. How long does that feeling stick with you when you realize that Kirk Cousins will be starting and not you, and more than likely the whole time you are in Atlanta.
Just a bad choice overall by the Atlanta Falcons.