Falcons HC: Kirk Cousins Would no longer ‘Need to Sight over His Shoulder’ After Penix Exhaust

The Atlanta Falcons occupy two high-profile quarterbacks on town after signing ragged Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in March only to then resolve Washington signal-caller Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth general need on this year’s NFL draft.

That naturally raises hundreds of questions in Atlanta, but Falcons head coach Raheem Morris acknowledged that Cousins is the team’s starting quarterback and doesn’t want to fright about Penix encroaching on his playing time, even supposing things walk bitter.

“Kirk doesn’t want to leer over his shoulder on every occasion he throws a horrible circulate,” Morris urged journalists, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic. “That is no longer the case. I’m obvious I could pray to mutter you guys (in the media) that just a few occasions – that is no longer the case.”

Or no longer it is some distance a brand unique abilities in Atlanta after Morris, who was as soon as most recently the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator, took over for the fired Arthur Smith. And now it be a assorted scene at quarterback as successfully, with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinecke out and Cousins and Penix in.

On the floor, there are hundreds of questions about selecting Penix. Why attain this must you already signed Cousins? Why obtain the distraction of having two QB1s on the team? Why no longer upgrade at other positions with the eighth general resolve, specifically must you already improved the QB room with Cousins?

Or no longer it is an irregular command, to swear the least, and one can’t relief but marvel what’s going on to occur if the Falcons are sitting with, hiss, a 3-7 story in November and wearing a bottom-10 scoring offense with Cousins starting. Would the Falcons in actuality follow Cousins if things walk south, or would a quarterback controversy erupt?

Within the latter case, it be mountainous to occupy a backup idea esteem Penix, but then $90 million in guaranteed money to Cousins successfully goes down the drain.

In thought, the Falcons might perhaps obtain two years of upright quarterback play out of Cousins after which share methods in 2026, when they no longer owe him any guaranteed money. Then Penix might perhaps capture the reins and presumably become the team’s long-timeframe solution at quarterback.

Within the raze, the Falcons occupy had nervousness in the submit-Matt Ryan abilities, animated from Marcus Mariota to Desmond Ridder to Taylor Heinecke.

Cousins and Penix, at the very least, provides the team a quality quarterback room, person who might perhaps most efficient relief the offensive abilities on the team in running relief Bijan Robinson, wideout Drake London and tight dwell Kyle Pitts.