The Falcons QB Controversy

[Snake]

Cousins' agent, Mike McCartney, told ESPN's Pete Thamel that the Falcons only notified the QB that they'd pick Penix while the team was on the clock. McCartney said there is frustration and confusion coming from Cousins' camp because Atlanta did not use its first-round pick to make the team better in 2024.

Instead, the Falcons used their selection on Cousins' apparent successor before Cousins played a single down for the team. McCartney said Cousins understands the business of football and is ready to move on, but there was indeed surprise about the Falcons' decision.

Fans mad

YOU HAVE JUST SPLIT THE LOCKER ROOM

YOU HAVE JUST CREATED A QB CONTROVERSY TIMES 2

1. ⁠EVERYTIME KIRK HAS A BAD GAME OR THROWS AN INT THE CALL FOR PENIX WILL COME IN
2. ⁠THEN IN 2 YEARS WHAT IF KIRK IS STILL GOOD DO YOU DUMP A GOOD QB IN KIRK BECAUSE YOU CANNOT LET YOUR 1ST ROUND PICK SIT FOR 4 YEARS

THIS IS THE DUMBEST MOVE IN DRAFT HISTORY

IF YOU WANTED PENIX YOU DO NOT PAY KIRK 100M TO BE A BRIDGE QB YOU GET SAM DARNOLD FOR 10MILLION OR MINSHEW OR EVEN CHEAPER OPTIONS LIKE BRISSETT ETC

MINNESOTA DID IT THE RIGHT WAY THEY SIGNED DARNOLD A BRIDGE QB AFFORDABLE AND THEY DRAFT A YOUNG QB AND THEN THEY THEN GOT AN EDGE IN TURNER THAT IS WHAT ATL SHOULD HAVE DONE FFS

THAT IS WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE

THAT 100 MILLION YOU WASTED ON KIRK GETS YOU OUT OF CAP HELL YOU COULD HAVE OFFERED REDDICK A BETTER DEAL OR HENDRICKSON OR OTHER FAS OR TRADES YOU WOULD HAVE HAD PENIX DARNOLD OR CHEAPER BRIDGE AND OVER 90 MILLION IN CAP TO SPEND

THIS THE DUMBEST MOVE IN NFL HISTORY IF YOU BRING IN KIRK FOR 100 MILLION GET HIM OFFENSIVE HELP OR DEFENSIVE HELP YOU WASTED A GOLDEN CHANCE TO WIN A SB WITH THIS MOVE IDIOTIC BEYOND BELIEF

► Show Spoiler

[njdungeoneer]

Wow. This is just beyond stupid.

Unless the Falcons already know that Cousins is cooked.

[Bootz]

Wow. This is just beyond stupid.

Unless the Falcons already know that Cousins is cooked.

They spent $180mil on a 36 year old QB coming off an achilles tear. They hit stupid a long time ago.

[Snake]

falcons gm left autodraft on

I stuck around for all the shit after 28-3 to see this team draft a fucking 24 year old with a replacement ACL grafted from a kangaroo to sit behind post achilles tear Kirk Cousins? This is what I deserve?

So you LOST a draft pick next year tampering on Cousins, and used this pick on Penix. This team has no idea what they're they're doing.

 

What even is this "rebuild"? 4 straight top 10 picks on skill positions, the last of which on a 24 year old QB when they just gave Kirk 180 million. 

[Redrum]

Doesn't make much sense. The earliest they can cut Kirk in order to not incur a massive dead cap hit is year 4 of his deal.

[Doctor]

Fans are stupid and short sighted.

[13F11B]

Shades of Josh Freeman pick.

[njdungeoneer]

Wow. This is just beyond stupid.

Unless the Falcons already know that Cousins is cooked.

They spent $180mil on a 36 year old QB coming off an achilles tear. They hit stupid a long time ago.

Incredibly stupid is to bring in a first round QB behind your 45 million per year old about who can’t move. Totally different qb, different offenses.

I am glad that they are in the NFC South

[Snake]

Shades of Josh Freeman pick.

► Show Spoiler

Josh Freeman is a remarkable presence on the football field. At 6-5 and 250 pounds, he stands out in the pocket even behind a group of jumbo linemen. He has a presence, even as a rookie, or as Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Raheem Morris puts it, he is "an athletic, big, giant human that's walking the planet and I'm glad he's on our team."

The brilliant insight from Rah

[Snake]

In a vacuum, it's not a bad pick.

BUT in reality, it's bad in the sense that it's 2 totally competing philosphies when a team should have one vision and one direction.

We signed Kirk with the intention of opening a competitive window for the next 2-3 years. That aligns with many of our moves in recent years. You don't often get a window open, and with the absolute garbage that is the NFC South, we actually have a high likelihood of getting home playoff games this year and next.

Drafting Penix is a move that, if all goes according to plan, will not pay dividends until 2027. At which point, THEN we find out if he was a good pick or not, having done nothing with our current premium draft position to make the most of our current window, especially with some glaring holes at key positions.

The problem with “in 5 years we may be ecstatic” is that we are purely in a win-now mode. We just spent 180m on a QB. Our offense is stacked. Our defense desperately needs DL. I don’t see how a QB that—hopefully—won’t start for 2-4 years gets us in the NFCC this year and next. It’s a move that just screams of a front office that wants to eat their cake and have it too.

For 8, yes. You get him in the 2nd than no its not. Hes the 5th best QB and he was overdrafted, someone was going to overdraft but why us? He also has a concerning injury history, he also played behind the best O line in college.

Also look at that if he starts in year 3 all our rookies will need to be paid, and then we have to pick up his option. We are going to be right back in cap hell when he becomes the starter. All these rookie deals are going to waste and we will be fkd just like the saints are cause Terry came from the Loomis tree.

We just paid a QB and are gonna lose a draft pick for tampering and we draft a guy to sit on the bench. It makes no sense for Atl to have drafted him he is going to rot here. Its a bad pick for Atl and his career.

[Doctor]

Falcons could very likely have their QB issues resolved for the present as well as the next 10 years and people are mad.

[Phantom]

At least they didn't draft McCarthy; we dodged the bullets

[Snake]

Falcons could very likely have their QB issues resolved for the present as well as the next 10 years and people are mad.

Very likely?

[kaimaru]

Falcons could very likely have their QB issues resolved for the present as well as the next 10 years and people are mad.

You draft a QB who will not see the field barring injury for 2 years under a QB with completely different skillets (not like Rodgers under Favre) so it's not like he's learning anything on the bench so you have a choice year 3. If Cousins is playing at a high level, what then? Trade him to the Jets? No? Ride him out? Now you have to pick of the 5th year option BEFORE the next season. Not smart at all

[NeezDuts]

Very odd decision but it could be productive in the end

[kaimaru]

Falcons could very likely have their QB issues resolved for the present as well as the next 10 years and people are mad.

Very likely?

Considering first round QBs ( see 2021) unlikely. But hey, Doc will probably project a UDFA DT as the next Aaron Darnold

[BucsNBills]

Falcons always find a way to 28-3 themselves.

I feel so much better about winning the division for the 4th straight season now.

[Four Verticals]

The biggest issue and what was reading in the reaction from Cousins was similar to Rodgers complaint about Jordan Love which was that the pick doesn't help the team in the near term.

[Snake]

The biggest issue and what was reading in the reaction from Cousins was similar to Rodgers complaint about Jordan Love which was that the pick doesn't help the team in the near term.

One of them was drafted at the end of the first round. The other was drafted with the eighth overall pick. One was considered a project. The other one is 24 years old, extensive injury history, was in college for six years, and played in the college football playoff.

And the exception often proves the rule.

[Doctor]

Falcons could very likely have their QB issues resolved for the present as well as the next 10 years and people are mad.

Very likely?

Are we just "assuming" Penix is a bust? Because all this cry baby "win now" nonsense only makes sense if you are assuming Penix is a bust.

If not, the idea of PASSING ON A FRANCHISE QB to try to "win now" a little harder is fucking bonkers. Did we not just do this exercise? You can go through 2 or 3 GMs between decent QB drafts. And even then, they can get picked before you're up.

Kirk is 36 and far from being an iron man. Even in a ideal world where he plays two good years before going meh, you are set up with someone to take over without missing a beat. The idea of "just ride out your current QB to the max until he's done, then get a top pick and get his replacement" is the peak... I believe the term is, casual fandom.

[CantonJester]

You guys are overthinking it.

Yes, Atlanta made a risky pick, but it wasn't riskier than signing Kirk Cousins to a 4 year deal. They hedged their bet.

It won't pan out, but there have been worse decisions.

[13F11B]

Raheem will pick Spencer Rattler tomorrow and then hold a press conference about his talented his QB room is. "They all know how to put big boy pants on."

[Big Irv]

The did-their-fans-dirty birds are at it again. As a Bucs fan, I love this pick. Raheem is still loyal to us after all these years. Thanks coach!

My Falcons fan friends were hoping they’d trade Penix to a needy team. Their delusions are my joy. Angry Kirk is my favorite part of this. Bucs options are trending up.

Although, maybe this pick is to light a competitive fire under Mr “You Like That”. Maybe that chip on his shoulder grows larger and he comes out hot to show he’s the man.

[Central_Buc]

I understand why the Falcons did this. Have him sit a couple years and he'll come in ready. Like Love and like Rodgers

[kaimaru]

Very likely?

Are we just "assuming" Penix is a bust? Because all this cry baby "win now" nonsense only makes sense if you are assuming Penix is a bust.

If not, the idea of PASSING ON A FRANCHISE QB to try to "win now" a little harder is fucking bonkers. Did we not just do this exercise? You can go through 2 or 3 GMs between decent QB drafts. And even then, they can get picked before you're up.

Kirk is 36 and far from being an iron man. Even in a ideal world where he plays two good years before going meh, you are set up with someone to take over without missing a beat. The idea of "just ride out your current QB to the max until he's done, then get a top pick and get his replacement" is the peak... I believe the term is, casual fandom.

I will make you a bet for a permanent ban here that Penix is a bust. He will never be a starter for more than 2 seasons. Does your Doctor-ism willing to take this bet? Penix will not be a starter in 2029. I am certain. Are you? @ModX @MOD TB12 @Mod LV

[Doctor]

There is too much stupid in that bet to unpack. But at least its on brand.

[Phantom]

Chicken

[BuccaNOLEer]

That Super Bowl choke has really done a number on this franchise. Look at them now. Taking Penix that high was a stupid move the more I look at it

[Phantom]

I believe it was actually Arthur Blank's decision. There was a video of the Falcons GM and Blank discussing the selection.

[Navybuc]

I don’t even think they got the better qb. McCarthy was there and they passed on him. Penix has potential but he has a lot of cleaning up to do in his game. I don’t have a clue in hell what they were doing last night unless they have a personal beef with the Raiders and just wanted to piss them off.

[Navybuc]

Not sure anyone saw the Bears GM about Odunze falling to them. They asked him what he thought about Atlanta’s pick and he tried not to laugh.

[Snake]

There will be a variety of quarterbacks available the next three years. Younger rookies (with more cost control instead of sitting on the bench for their rookie contract). Quarterbacks needing a change of scenery.

They’re giving up the most valuable aspect of having a rookie quarterback. Which is the cheap contract. Best case scenario, he gets inserted into the starting lineup the last year of his rookie deal and then they have to pay him if he performs well? Oof.

[Phantom]

[CannonFire]

According to Raheem Morris... he believes the Falcons are in a position to win right now. I know, some of you guys are laughing, but people here think the Bucs are ready to win with Baker Mayfield.

With that, if you think your team is ready to win now, you don't expect to be in position to draft a QB for the next 3 to 4 years (based on the length of Cousins' contract). If that's how you feel, then go get your guy. I don't really know that Morris and the Falcons are wrong. Well, at least from their line of thinking... I don't really know much about Penix, but I liked things I saw of and heard from, him. He might be really good.


Let's look at it from Atlanta's perspective. Last year, their defense ranked 11th in yards allowed (18th in points allowed). With Ridder as their QB (and Heinicke), who was completely awful and made life difficult for their defense, they still managed 7 wins. People want to laugh, but it's not like we were light years better... if they beat us in ATL, we're both 8-8. That aside, they have a top tier offensive line, a star WR in the making (Drake London), a stud RB in the making (Bijan Robinson), and now a proven passer (Kirk Cousins)... that's not even counting the possibility that Kyle Pitts isn't a bust. What if he isn't? The Falcons are in position to be a 12+ win team this season. Again, some may want to laugh, but the Falcons substantially upgraded their QB situation with Cousins... don't care if people think he's a choker or not, he's still good. Where did we upgrade? All we did was re-sign players.

[TonyLip]

Last year their QBs struggled to get 150 yds passing.
They now have their competent, fragile 36 yr old starter as well as their talented, fragile rookie reliever…
I’d say they have their bases covered….in a well thought out kinda sorta way.
Good luck Birds
Stay healthy and off the IR