The Atlanta Falcons pulled off the most important stunner of the primary spherical of the NFL Draft by deciding on Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth decide.
Final month, they signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal, leaving nearly everybody to assume that Penix wasn’t even an possibility there.
However, the Falcons apparently just like the 24-year-old southpaw, as Cousins, 35, is coming off an Achilles harm.
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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) appears on from the sidelines throughout the second half of an NFL soccer sport between the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions in Detroit, Michigan on Sunday, January 7, 2024. (Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto through Getty Photographs)
Certainly, your franchise quarterback is often within the learn about what would go on with a top-10 decide. However apparently, the Falcons and Cousins did not have many conversations concerning the decide.
Through the NFL Community’s broadcast, Daniel Jeremiah mentioned he received in contact with Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, who instructed him the Falcons saved their plans of Penix underneath wraps from Cousins.
“Kirk Cousins was not given actually a heads up on this complete factor,” Jeremiah mentioned.
Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) throws an interception throughout the CFP Nationwide Championship sport Michigan Wolverines and Washington Huskies on January 8, 2024, at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (David Buono/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs)
FALCONS SELECT QUARTERBACK MICHAEL PENIX JR IN DRAFT STUNNER AFTER SIGNING KIRK COUSINS
ESPN refuted that report only a tad – McCartney instructed the outlet that “the one heads up the Falcons gave Cousins about choosing…Penix was a name whereas the group was on the clock.”
The Athletic reported that Cousins “understood” {that a} quarterback could be thought of, however he didn’t imagine his successor could be taken within the first spherical – thus, the Penix choice left him “surprised.”
It was much more stunning, contemplating the truth that many had Penix because the presumptive fifth quarterback, as J.J. McCarthy turned out to be this yr’s wild card. Nevertheless, McCarthy was chosen tenth by the Minnesota Vikings, who moved up a spot to get him.
Michael Penix Jr. of Washington prepares for a snap throughout the NFL Scouting Mix at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 2, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kara Durrette/Getty Photographs))
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It’s ironic that the Falcons took Penix as Cousins recovers from his personal critical harm – he has torn his proper ACL twice, as soon as in 2018 and as soon as in 2020 with Indiana, and he had a clavicle fracture in 2019 and an A/C joint separation in 2021.
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