Kirk Cousins a ‘Stop-Gap’ Instead of a ‘Long Term Solution’ as Falcons Draft Michael Penix Jr., Reveals NFL Analyst

Atlanta Falcons made the one wildcard choice in this year’s draft, sending the NFL world into a frenzy. In March, Kirk Cousins signed a humongous four-year contract worth $180 million, so a quarterback pick by the franchise didn’t seem to be on the table. But then came the twist.

The franchise picked Michael Penix Jr. as the 8th overall pick; it came as a surprise to many. While many expressed their confusion as to why the Falcons would draft Penix to sit behind the veteran, others felt that it was a backup option since Cousins is still coming off the Achilles’ injury. A former Dallas Cowboys guard had an interesting insight about the Atlanta predicament.

Kirk Cousins to be a temporary fix for the Falcons?

The Falcons’ draft pick might have been a shock to most, but Brian Baldinger had been expecting it. The NFL analyst and former guard was asked about the team’s decision on the DraftKings podcast. Baldinger opined that under the leadership of the current owner, the franchise has been successful only with a franchise quarterback, and they wish to mold Penix into one for the future.

As for Cousins, he feels that his signing was a mere makeshift solution rather than a permanent one. “I anticipated it,” said Baldinger. “Forget about the money they gave Kirk Cousins. -I thought Arthur Blank was going to pull the trigger on that because the only time the Falcons have ever been relevant under Arthur Blank is when they had Mike Vic or Matt Ryan and, I think, Kirk Cousins, even though they paid him a boatload of money I thought it was kind of more of a stop Gap than a long-term answer.”

The Falcons GM Terry Fontenot has made it clear that Cousins will be the starter in the upcoming season. But there’s certainly going to be a change in the dynamics in the QB room, which might not pan out as smoothly as one would expect.

Bad blood between the veteran and the rookie?

It wasn’t just the fans and analysts who were left dumbfounded by the Falcons’ draft of Penix; the decision equally surprised the former Minnesota Vikings athlete. Cousins’ agent revealed that the news was a “big surprise,” and they got the call right before the draft announcement. “The truth is the whole league had no idea this was coming,” he said. “We got no heads up. Kirk got a call from the Falcons when they were on the clock. That was the first we heard. It never came up in any conversation.”

However, it seems that the veteran quarterback has made his peace with the decision now. During an appearance on the Bussin’ with the Boys podcast, Cousins denied having any beef with the rookie and instead shared that the sole focus for them is the Super Bowl. “I don’t think there can be,” he said. “I don’t think it’s helpful. We’re trying to win a Super Bowl, and it’s hard enough. It’s hard enough. Let’s all be on the same page and try and go win a Super Bowl.”

Kirk Cousins might have had an awkward start with the Atlanta Falcons, but his focus for the 2024 season is crystal clear: leading the team to a Super Bowl. Michael Penix Jr. would hopefully get a chance to groom himself and develop under the veteran’s mentorship so that when the time comes, the rookie can step into the starter’s big shoes.