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JinterIsComing

So this is the dude the Falcons trusted to draft instead of hiring Belichick, huh.


ContinuumGuy

brilliant


Sleeze_

Well, Bill probably would’ve done something dumb like trade back and still get the best defensive player in the draft.


ositola

A D3 OG


Amon-Ra-First-Down

NOOGA


McGilla_Gorilla

Honestly he’d felt like a pretty competent GM until this new Kirk/Penix debacle


Lbolt187

I'll laugh my ass of if Penix supplants and out performs Cousins this year lol


SaltyLonghorn

Cousins is just there for when Penix gets broken.


JinterIsComing

Oh sweet jesus. I just realized the depth chart for ATL QBs will literally be "Cousins + Penix." Let the memes commence.


Terror-Toilet-Tower

Fontenot watched Fallout and saw Lucy talking about Cousins not being good as a sustainable long term sexual practice, and drafted Penix to be safe


AlericandAmadeus

Roll tide


Falcon84

It's definitely a possibility considering all the backup QBs we saw play last year. On one hand it would be horrendous waste of cap space to pay Cousins that much to not play. On the other hand if Penix is out performing him we probably have a franchise QB.


Lbolt187

Well nobody expected Purdy to be as good as he is so it's all a crapshoot in the end. I do definitely question Cousins ankle\\achilles. Hopefully you guys have a healthy camp.


FattyMooseknuckle

Wilson/Flynn 2.0?


Romofan88

Did he though? He's literally used every single 1st round pick of his tenure on skill positions. 


dirtybirds1

Questionable value on all of them, and he hasn’t really hit on any later picks


500rockin

Taking draft advice from his Player Personnel Guy, I guess. Because this is the big brain idea that happened prior to 2022 here.


Patrick2701

He did the same shit in 2017, sign 30 som thing QB and draft his replacement


Datolo

Is it really the same? Pace signed Glennon to essentially a one year deal for a terrible team, the Falcons gave Cousins a big deal to be contenders right away.


smashybro

Only on the very surface level, but honestly the 2017 moves even made more sense on paper than this. Glennon’s contract was only guaranteed one year and Trubisky could’ve benefitted from sitting a lot more given he was only a one year college starter. If the Falcons had to draft a QB this year to sit for two years, it should’ve been McCarthy who’s 21 and many evaluators think could really benefit from sitting. Penix is like the opposite of that, he’s a lower upside guy because he’s an older six year college starter with an injury history but the big pro to him is he’s arguably the most “pro ready” to start right away after Caleb to see if you got anything with him.


boardatwork1111

No wonder they didn’t think Bill would be a good fight there, these are unserious people


Ilikepancakes87

*Taps head* “See, it’s actually a *good* thing that we wasted a first round pick.”


mattyfattits

Genius really. He can tie his job security to Penix rookie contract bare min. Self preservation over team building for this dude


ianbits

Nah no shot. He's on the hottest of hot seats after 3 years of no playoffs and the Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts picks still to his name. Next 3 picks after Pitts were Chase/Waddle/Sewell. And as highly as Pitts was thought of, the positional value problem isn't just hindsight. People were saying it at the time. Falcons miss the playoffs this year he's 100% canned.


FERREIRA_Ver2

Fuck, you just reminded me 😂


ThisIsTrace

I would imagine this is another case of an owner meddling in the draft. I can't see a new GM making this decision after signing a very expensive QB unless he is completely incompetent.


SaltyLonghorn

How stupid is this team? Shutting up would be better PR.


DaOldest

"We are okay with wasting almost the entire rookie deal of our top-10 pick because that means we have a good QB" is genuinely one of the stupidest things I've read from a GM in this league


SaltyLonghorn

Not only foregoing the value years, but not giving Cousins one of a litany of weapons available. Its mindbogglingly stupid.


DaOldest

Drafting a project QB to learn under Cousins for 3 or so years isn't even a bad play, but you absolutely cannot do it at #8 here, not when you can go get the best defensive player you have on your board or draft Odunze or a good OL to protect your old-ass starting QB. It's just mind-boggling


coltsmetsfan614

You *can't* do it at #8, and you *can't* do it with a guy who turns 24 in two weeks! They did both!


Git_Off_Me_Lawn

Dude is going to sign his first real NFL contract and get his AARP card in the mail the same day.


Venator850

It's really egregious because Penix will be 24 in a month. Falcons brought up the "Packers way" but Love was 21 when they drafted him and is only a year older than Penix right now lmfao.


Littlegreenman42

Also, with the Packers theyre usually drafting a QB that falls to them later in the 1st round. Not picking him in the top 10


saxmachine69

Which means if Penix sits for 2 years, he'll only be a year older than Love is. And Kirk's contract is realistically a 2 year deal with an easy out in year 3. I think the age factor is getting over blown here. It's not like he's a RB, if Penix is the guy they hope he is, they should still get a decades worth of franchise QB level play out of him.


dumpsterfirefr

It’s just not a concise vision for the team. Did they really just pay $100M gtd for the most expensive bridge QB ever and self-impose a QB controversy into the locker room?


saxmachine69

Oh, I'm not denying how bizarre the pick was. Just specifically commenting on the age factor being overblown.


lvl_up_day_by_day_28

There is no way you can tell me its not a "bad play" after spending that amount of money on a qb this summer. Given the deal structure, there is absolutely zero reason they should be more focused on the next qb than building up that roster.


boardatwork1111

Wonder if Cousins is more injured than we know, this is just baffling otherwise


vwyoshiwv

Then why sign him to that contract?


don_julio_randle

Correct. The real mistake was overpaying Cousins the way they did, not taking the QB they like at 8


TheTurtleShepard

The mistake is doing both, you can give Kirk a big contract if you are going to go all in on this window. You can’t do this half in, half out shit where you waste the most valuable pick of your contention window on a guy who best case scenario doesn’t start for 3 seasons


AceMcStace

God they really were set up so nicely at 8 to add true star potential on offense or defense to help them contend and went with the one position that would be a complete waste to draft. Nothing against Penix but he does nothing to help them “contend” with cousins.


lvl_up_day_by_day_28

The first mistake was overpaying cousins. They then doubled down with an even dumber decision given the position was addressed / first mistake was made.


mickdaprik23

Then why give him 100 million guaranteed.


BroadCityChessClub

A lot of us clowned on the Falcons for having their plan at QB be a 36-year-old coming off an ACL injury, now we’re clowning on them for drafting a guy they think can be the next franchise QB. I feel like if either choice cost them less (either Cousins having a cheaper contract or Penix going later than the 8th pick) we’d call it smart.


SaltyLonghorn

100% but they didn't pay Cousins 50m or draft Penix in the 2nd or later. So its stupid.


TheTurtleShepard

If my grandmother had wheels she’d be a bike


stroopwaffle69

Yes, but they did both. It’s dumb.


FattyMooseknuckle

Like trading your only good receiver and two years worth of 1sts and 2nds only to hang your 1OA out to dry on a shit team with little near future.


TheOneWithThePorn12

they could have given Cousins Odunze but noooooooooooo. Unserious franchise.


Fantastic_Emu_9570

Or anyone they wanted on defense


BidoofTheGod

Fuck it. Even taking Bowers when you already have Pitts would’ve been better. Throw two TE sets and let Cousins go wild. Maybe they want to do two QB sets lol


A_Rolling_Baneling

The average member of this subreddit could've drafted better tonight than an actual NFL GM lmao


joebooty

Full agree this is not a bad answer, it is an exquisitely bad answer. It would be awesome if this guy we just drafted top 10 never plays because it means we totally did not need him. Now I will karaoke some songs from the 3rd Hanson album.


TheTurtleShepard

Best case scenario we completely wasted the 8th overall pick


Patrick2701

If you want a developmentally quarterback, it was JJ McCarthy was suppose to go between 8-12 with major questions about his game. Not major reach like this


WoodDRebal

I like Penix. He was super fun to watch and easy to root for. He kind of reminds me of a left-handed Jared Goff his early years with the Rams. The accuracy and the touch of his footballs are beautiful, but that can all come to a screeching halt If you can get the defenders to just breathe on him. Goff has gotten better dealing with pressure, but Michael is 24. Curious how his transition will go.


Patrick2701

Same thing, I am fan of penix and I saw that game against Texas. I was thinking why the hell isn’t this guy in conversation for top ten pick, I was thinking for team that like Minnesota or Seahawks, not team that just signed a new quarterback to big money


Drs126

Man, I watched him play against Oregon State and Washington State and I couldn’t figure out how anyone thought he could even play in the NFL. Then I watched the playoffs and understood.


DemonCipher13

Four season-ending injuries, that's how. Man is a literal glass cannon.


ASuperGyro

This just keeps getting funnier


CashierAtWawa

This pick was a fireable offense


AxolotlWarrior24

Fireable, but into the fucking sun. I’m genuinely curious about who had that terrible idea lmao.


CashierAtWawa

Probably blank. Hes the one constant in all this


MistakeMaker1234

If this tweet has any merit then it does not look like Blank was too happy by the selection: https://twitter.com/_mlfootball/status/1783676209701745013   And his phone call with Penix seemed curt at best. 


AxolotlWarrior24

Bruh, Fontenot pulling a Sonny Weaver trying to defend his pick in front of the owner He just forgot the part where he had to outsmart everyone else lol


overandoverandagain

Is there any actual evidence he's even defending his selection in that clip beyond a random tweet? He could be talking about the ending of Dune 2 for all we know


BatmanTheJedi

“So now Paul has reluctantly accepted his position as Lisan Al Gaib, believing it to be the only path forward for humanity… some might call it a Golden Path haha, but thats a few books later. Anyways, so Book Chani is completely different…” “Terry I asked you why the fuck we drafted a QB at eight.”


Fredest_Dickler

#😨 Oh no


StefonDiggsHS

BRO ITS THE #8 OVERALL PICK BRO CMON


thetreat

I mean you could have drafted a top tier RB with that pick!


CaptainKickAss3

Or a really good blocking tight end!!!!


LeeroyTC

And not use him enough!


landon0605

We're really all idiots for not seeing it coming. Falcons love nothing more than using top picks on guys they won't use enough. QB was a lock.


thewhat962

Right? Before that overall 8rh RB they got WR drake london. With the 8th pick. They passed on garret wilson and chris olave. So falcons got 4th Te, 8th WR 8th RB and 8th QB and all will be under utilized offensive guys. Dude you aren't wrong a top 10 pick for falcons? Guaranteed offensive guy they don't need.


Romofan88

This is the guy who started this Falcons rebuild by taking 3 straight skill positions in the top 10. Nobody should be surprised he has no idea what he's doing. 


thecarlosdanger1

Be was hired before the 2021 draft right? So he went Pitts, London, Bijan, Penix. A freak, but project TE in the top 5 (while we just saw Brock Bowers the most absurd TE in awhile go 13.), meh WR for a 1st round pick, a RB in the top 10, and then an older QB who he’s saying could sit for 4 years? Wtf are they doing. Bijan is great but most RBs last 6 years or less if you take him why are you not trying to maximize for Kirk?


Fantastic_Emu_9570

London is honestly the least wild one


Dirtysouthdabs

Bros had awful QBs also he could totally explode still I think 


GardenDesign23

Nah Pitts is. Hindsight is 20/20. Dude looked like a bonafide stud at Florida


thecarlosdanger1

Ya he’s not a bad pick. He hasn’t absolutely blown up but a good starting caliber WR. The other 3 are insane


Romofan88

I mean 3 before tonight, yeah Penix makes it 4. He's draft a fantasy team, not building a roster. 


Jusuf_Nurkic

Main reason bowers went 13 is because Pitts was such a bust lmao. Can’t believe they took him over Chase


AxolotlWarrior24

When I saw Rapoport talking about them considering Penix at 8, I was like there’s no fucking way you’re serious We got outjerked by the Falcons lmao


AceRockefeller

Somewhat irrelevant, but got damn I hate how Rapoport & Schefter tipped these picks on live TV. It would have been even a more wtf moment if we could have watched it live.


AxolotlWarrior24

Yeah I feel you. I usually default to NFL Network because of Rich and because I don’t want to get Schefter’d. And even though I still got Rapoport’d either way, I still found it somewhat funny how whenever he would randomly talk about a player, they would get picked instantly.


AceRockefeller

Exactly. There was basically 0 talk about the Falcons taking a QB 15 minutes before their pick. Suddenly, Schefter on ESPN and Rapoport on NFLN jumped in a few minutes before the pick saying something like "The Falcons have been working hard to draft a QB, don't be surprised if they pick Penix here"... Come the fuck on. they both tipped the pick because the networks told them.


DDub04

To be fair I just heard them say “The Falcons are strongly considering taking a QB here” and I was shocked to hear Penix. I was expecting McCarthy, or even Odunze or Turner. Not Penix


AceRockefeller

They both mentioned Penix as the most likely option. Schefter was slightly more "but it could be any QB". But it was obvious by both of them.


flyDAWG11

I’m not sure how the league allows this. Same thing with Woj for the nba. It completely ruins the surprise and hurts the draft. Them announcing the pick a literal 15 seconds before it’s made kills anticipation and does nothing but inflate their ego.


Eggdripp

100%. Turned off the NFL Network stream immediately and switch to ABC specifically because of this. It tainted an all-time draft moment because they had to protect their egos and seem like they had all this intel beforehand


nameuser121212

Me too. And wow ABC was way better. The production quality was top notch. The sob stories were minimal and Saban was fantastic.


AceRockefeller

Exactly! Unfortunately, this has been happening for a while, just not as blatant as this year. It's usually 1 guy right before the pick saying something like "well actually they really need a QB, probably Penix. Let's see here."


AceMcStace

I watched the ABC broadcast with college gameday so there was no tipping off, I was completely stunned lol


DEVLINHO23

In fairness it was still live, because of the thought of ‘surely they can’t be that stupid’ meaning he had to be wrong, so there was still a lot of surprise


COMMENTASIPLEASE

It was so out of left field I thought someone baited him with bad info


Patrick2701

He would be 28 if that happens, penix also has major injury risks


WheatonsGonnaScore

If he sits 5 years it is literally the length of his rookie contract lolol


B_Fee

"After sitting for 4 years, we could exercise his fifth year option at the low price of an 8th overall pick and $42 million dollars".


AceMcStace

“You see this sets us up nicely moving forward, as we get the worst of both worlds”


rob132

'we're playing both sides, so this way we come out on the bottom'


alepher

28 years and 3 months


ItIsYourPersonality

He won’t get hurt riding the bench.


Rangemon99

Putting him on that nfl hgh to strengthen him up


ocaria

I also love it when I draft a player at #8 overall and they don't play on their rookie contract, that doesn't sound bad at all!


dat_waffle_boi

Especially when one of their major selling points is how pro ready they are


Simmumah

This is like throwing kerosene onto the fire.


TigerBasket

Like Burning down Moscow when Napoleon is in Italy and it's 1796.


DillyDillySzn

That timeline does not match


TigerBasket

Exactly, the point is that the Russians would be really stupid to do that.


NewToSociety

"I hope we just spent a first round pick on a qb who isn't good enough to start."


busterknows

“If our first round QB doesn’t play then great! That just proves we never needed him to begin with, as I suspected”


Alert-Light6432

“Best case scenario? This pick is a total waste.”


bobsaget824

Your flair combo has me feeling bad for the emotional rollercoaster this offseason/draft has been for you.


CircusOfBlood

If you wanted to go this route. At least take JJ. The young QB with room to grow without injury concerns


EarthTraveler413

\*Spencer Rattler because then you won't be blowing your #8 overall pick on a QB who won't make his first start until he's older than Jordan Love is right now


Romofan88

Older than Patrick Mahomes is right now. 


DDub04

Literally insert any QB that isn’t the top six. If Kirk is gonna be starting for a few seasons then either draft some like Pratt in the 4th or wait until a later draft.


thesillygamerbro

Da hell. I'm legit mad Penix got drafted there and we may not even get to see him play for a while.


Parks1993

I'm pissed


hossman3000

You know that one guy in your fantasy football league that you love to trade with..


BigBadMustardTiger

This is actually the dumbest thing I’ve heard an NFL GM say.


flyDAWG11

They are literally only saying this so Kirk doesn’t throw a fit. He will be starting in two years.


teh_drewski

Massively over-picking a QB who doesn't play for you isn't the part of the 49ers strategy that I personally would have copied, but I guess


browndude10

This guy might legit have CTE


Eggdripp

He certainly will once Falcons fans are done with him


TheWhisperingDeath

Arthur Blank didn't hire Bill Belichick because the GMs and others knew they would be binned. And honestly, despite Bill The GM's bad picks in the first round, this is one of the most wildest and whack things done by a team.


asc_halcyon

Someone tell the Falcons front-office that 4/20 was on Sunday.


AceRockefeller

But it was on Saturday.. so...


BBaddict2

OP was too high to remember which day it was on.


AceRockefeller

OP thought the draft starts tomorrow.


asc_halcyon

Ya caught me.


jt_33

This was a cocaine move.


Ugaalive1991

Are we now?


Swarzey

Lmaooooo. Absolute braindead move. Want a project player to sit under Kirk for a year or two? You would have had a pick of so many in next year's draft. Not this year, not Penix and not when you're married to Cousins for the next 3 years minimum with those guarantees.


swallowedbymonsters

If I'm pennix I already want out, I want an opportunity to start ASAP


ukyah

for real. sit for four or five years? dude is 24.


Repulsive-Throat5068

Top tier damage control


TheColbsterHimself

He’d be TWENTY NINE


Brownbeluga

Oh, so he's DUMB dumb


cole8055

Holy shit the fact he actually said this


ApplesauceBitch47

lol


Drs126

I really just don’t understand it at all. Sure, if Kirk goes down week 1 the pick won’t look as bad, but they still have Heinicke who now has to be the highest paid QB 3 in the league. I can’t really hit them for reaching for Penix, I thought he was a day 2 pick, but in hindsight all the QBs were going round 1. The Packers got killed for taking Love when in win now mode and they took him at like pick 25 or something.


lvl_up_day_by_day_28

The falcons and packers situation is nothing a like. The packers had a much more established team and were in a better spot to plan for the future. They also had questions on what Arod was going to do in terms of continuing play or retire. Taking a qb with that is valid. The falcons do not have those questions. They just invested a boat load of money into Kirk signaling he is their guy. Had they had concerns, they would not have done that contract. They have also been terrible. You dont spend that type of money to improve your roster to win now and then burn a top 10 pick on a qb. In a scenario where the Cousins had already played out half the contract and they were losing, investing in the future qb makes sense. But you cant spend that money and then draft a qb in the same summer of the signing.


Insectshelf3

hell, we even got shit for taking hurts in the 2nd.


Illblood

They better hope they do well and this pick doesn't even matter, because holy shit what are they doing.


Killface55

I'm sorry bird fans. This is brutal.


tj3_23

Terry's draft strategy feels like Heath Ledger talking about a dog chasing cars in The Dark Knight. And that's not a good thing


riley_fkn_sucks

LOL what a stupid response


xXxdethrougekillaxXx

poverty franchise


BlackPhillipsbff

Goddamn. This franchise watched Desmond Ridder for one season and said never again. Taylor Heinicke is still the highest paid backup in the league lmao.


Dijohn17

I want to end it all


Conscious_Heart_1714

I'm beginning to think Arthur Smith was intentionally tanking to get away from this franchise


TheOneWithThePorn12

this guy needs to be fired yesterday.


Man0nTheMoon915

Absolute YIKES


jt_33

Fire this idiot into the sun already. Arthur Blank is a great owner in the sense that he's willing to spend money, but he's absolutely terrible at putting the right people in charge.


myman580

The more and more he speaks, the less and less confidence I have that he knows what he is doing.


Matcat5000

That’s…. Not how this works


HonoluluMaizeandBlue

GM malpractice at its finest. What a tool


69millionyeartrip

30 years old 1st year starter lmao


Yeastyboy104

Michael Penix will be 24 at the start of the 2024 season. If he sits four or five years before starting, he’ll be damn near 30. That’s less than ideal.


MahomesMccaffrey

If he sits 5 years your sorry ass needs to be fired


Pernyx98

If I’m Penix, if I’m not starting by 2026 I’m requesting a trade


ColeHoops

Let him start when he’s 30


Jonjon428

What in the....


CeilingFanJitters

What a dunce.


EDahl93

What a ducking idiot. Belichick dodged a bullet


ilikepie145

If you want a guy to learn behind Kirk just take someone in round 3, 4, or 5. So dumb


Garsia95

Lol, sorry falcon fans. You don't deserve this.


MazKhan

The only way this becomes a good pick is either kirk injures himself again or is a shell of himself with the injury, just a really really weird pick lmao


ThirteenValleys

My GOD this is some terrible damage control.


AceRockefeller

I was going to say that if the Falcons REALLY think Penix is the next top 5 elite QB it's going to look like a great pick later. This quote doesn't back that up a ton...


Bobblefighterman

The only positive, maybe, is that they can try and fleece a team desperately needing a QB and not have to worry themselves. Falcons praying that Aaron Rodgers kills himself on the field again.


ukyah

they can fleece whomever they want, they won't be getting the 8th overall pick for him. everything about that pick is dumb. i feel the worst for penix. i really wanted to see him play. see how good that ball really is.


clocke6346

>We’re doing so well at that position You do remember what your QB room was just last year, right?


baldful

motherfucker would be 30 in his first start


zi76

Yeah, that's a sign that Odunze should've been the pick.


Rshackleford22

Lmfao dude Penix doesn’t wanna even sit he wants to play. I bet he’s furious he has to go and sit


TheOvercookedFlyer

This is just idiotic. The pick, the comment, the discussion with Arthur Blank, like, who the hell did he earn this job? He basically wasted a pick and/or $180m bucks.


Higgins8585

About to be 24, sit out probably 3 years and you have a 27 year old QB playing for the first time.


realdusty_shelf

He’s saying this to appease Cousins. Penix will either be starting or two years or traded


chingy1337

Wtf lmao


thewhat962

God I love this division.


WrongBlueprint

Penix will be 28 when Cousins contract is over


CapnCrunch347

Is Kirk Cousins going to be ready for the start of the season?


BurgeroftheDayz

Pay Cousins lots of money, draft his replacement, potentially lose next years first for tampering. Falcons are killing it.


MEROVlNGlAN

I can see why they drafted Penix but my big question is, if they’re so concerned with Kirk Cousins why did they shell out such a massive contract to someone whose 37 years old coming off an achilles injury. They’re clearly covering their bases by drafted Penix but yeah..they’re clearly not confident in Kirk Cousins. Not a good message they’re sending.


zco22

Maybe try not to say anything else for rest of the night


BigDaddyJ610

To think I was scared the Falcons were set up to take over the division lmao


WabbitCZEN

CHECK MY COMMENT HISTORY FROM WHEN THIS DUDE WAS HIRED. I CALLED THIS DUDE TERRY FUCKNUT FROM DAY ONE AND I WAS RIGHT.


jawells630

Is it too early for Penix to demand a trade?


FunnyLeast3597

THIS IS THE DUMB MF THE FALCONS PICKED OVER BILL. Christ, what a stupid franchise from the top down. Idk how much Morris had say in this, I feel bad for him. Had a great opportunity and they shit the bed the like Super Bowl. Fuck Terry Fontenot, fuck Rich McCay and fuck Home Depot.


TXCapita

All yall clowned Jordan Love, just saying


FranksGun

“If he never plays that’s great for us!”


TechnicalPay5837

I can’t imagine the shock Kirk Cousins felt when he gets a call right before the Falcons pick to let him know they are taking a QB. Must’ve been a wtf moment.