The Atlanta Falcons raised quite a few eyebrows when it selected Washington’s quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. According to reports, the move also didn’t sit well with their Pro Bowl signal-caller Kirk Cousins.
The Falcons signed Cousins to a massive four-year, $180 million deal this offseason, leading everyone to believe they are off the QB market for the foreseeable future. Cousins himself also believed that, which is why seeing the franchise draft Penix left him “frustrated and confused,” according to his agent Mike McCartney.
In a chat with ESPN’s Pete Thamel, McCartney said that Cousins was only notified about the Falcons’ pick when the team was already on the clock. The veteran’s frustration steams from the fact that Atlanta selected his successor instead of improving the team to compete right now.
McCartney added that Cousins was “surprised” with the selection but understands the business side of football and is “ready to move on. “
Speaking with reports, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said that they have built a winning team in Atlanta. Because of this, the organization believes it won’t have the opportunity to select at the top of the draft for many years, which is why they pounced on the opportunity to take Penix and set themselves for stability at the QB position.
“We’re thinking about the fans. We’re thinking about this organization. We’re going to build a sustained winner. We’re going to win for a long time. That’s the most important position in football,” Fontenot said via ESPN.
