The draft pick that shocked the NFL universe on Thursday night in the first round of the NFL Draft was Atlanta selecting Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall.
It was a shocking move because they already inked Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year deal worth $180 million earlier this offseason.
So, why draft a player at a position that you don’t need right now?
Well, ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky actually believes everyone is overreacting.
“They (Atlanta) had Michael Penix as the No. 2 quarterback in the draft…They valued the player…They went out for a private workout with Michael…50 degrees, windy day, and everyone thought they were inside watching him throw the football,” Orlovsky told “The Rich Eisen Show” Friday.
.@danorlovsky7 was perplexed by the @themikepenix pick at first but the ESPN analyst explained why after sleeping on it thinks everyone is overreacting:#NFL #NFLDraft #DirtyBirds pic.twitter.com/tfRkk6kud9
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) April 26, 2024
It appears as though Atlanta is trying to copy the Green Bay model of drafting and developing a good quarterback.
They went from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to now Jordan Love.
The only thing that is different here is that they gave Cousins a four-year deal and all that money.
So, are they planning on having Penix take over in four years?
That is a very, very long time to wait.
Plus, skill players such as Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London will all be older.
The core of the team will be thrown off a little bit.
The reasoning for why the Falcons made the move makes sense, but it just feels like it could end up a little sour in the end.
It would make more sense if Penix took over in two years, but then why sign Cousins to such a big deal?
Time will tell on this pick.
Time will tell.
NEXT:
Colin Cowherd Names 3 First-Round NFL Players That Won’t Be Busts