Raheem Morris reveals ultimate deciding factor to draft Michael Penix Jr. after Kirk Cousin's $180,000,000 signing

It's been two months, but the Atlanta Falcons taking Michael Penix with the eighth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft remains one of the biggest head-scratching things that has ever happened in the draft. The fact that the Falcons gave Kirk Cousins a huge contract just one month before taking the Washington quarterback made it all so bizarre.

The entire NFL world, from the media to the fans to whoever works in other teams, knows that the pick didn't make any sense in a broader context, but the Falcons are still trying to convince themselves that it was a good thing to do. Head coach Raheem Morris appeared on a podcast with The Athletic, and he once again defended the choice:

You’re sitting there, and the guy you got very high on your board is staring at you. With a chance to pick them. A guy that you believe in. A guy that’s got a lot of similar traits to the guy that you’re going to know will lead you this year and do the things that he’s done. A guy that you can bring in here and sit behind a guy for a couple of years, no matter how long it takes. And say "here’s our heir apparent". Now did it shock everybody, catch you by surprise because of the amount of investment that you put into the room? Yes. And we just felt like, if we can fix that room and we can fix that thing short-term, we can fix it long-term.

The Falcons created a problem for themselves with the Kirk Cousins/Michael Penix circus

The Atlanta Falcons made what was easily the most bizarre pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, with the team using the 8th overall pick on quarterback Michael Penix Jr. from Washington.

Not only Penix was a reach at that point, but the Falcons gave Kirk Cousins a four-year contract that lasts the same as Penix's rookie contract.

The Washington prospect had a great collegiate career, but he has had a fair share of issues in the past. He's already 24, had torn ACLs on both his knees, and will be 28 at the end of his first contract, hinting at Atlanta's potentially unnecessary gamble on the quarterback.