Falcons HC: Kirk Cousins Doesn’t ‘Have to Look over His Shoulder’ After Penix Pick

The Atlanta Falcons have two high-profile quarterbacks in town after signing veteran Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in March only to then select Washington signal-caller Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall choice in this year’s NFL draft.

That naturally raises plenty of questions in Atlanta, but Falcons head coach Raheem Morris stated that Cousins is the team’s starting quarterback and doesn’t need to worry about Penix encroaching on his playing time, even if things go sour.

“Kirk does not have to look over his shoulder every time he throws a bad pass,” Morris told reporters, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic. “That is not the case. I am sure I’m going to have to tell you guys (in the media) that a few times – that is not the case.”

It’s a new era in Atlanta after Morris, who was most recently the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator, took over for the fired Arthur Smith. And now it’s a different scene at quarterback as well, with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinecke out and Cousins and Penix in.

On the surface, there are plenty of questions about selecting Penix. Why do this when you already signed Cousins? Why create the distraction of having two QB1s on the team? Why not upgrade at other positions with the eighth overall pick, especially when you already improved the QB room with Cousins?

It’s an odd situation, to say the least, and one can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen if the Falcons are sitting with, say, a 3-7 record in November and sporting a bottom-10 scoring offense with Cousins starting. Would the Falcons really stick with Cousins if things go south, or would a quarterback controversy erupt?

In the latter case, it’s great to have a backup plan like Penix, but then $90 million in guaranteed money to Cousins effectively goes down the drain.

In theory, the Falcons could get two years of good quarterback play out of Cousins and then part ways in 2026, when they no longer owe him any guaranteed money. Then Penix could take the reins and perhaps become the team’s long-term solution at quarterback.

Ultimately, the Falcons have had trouble in the post-Matt Ryan era, moving from Marcus Mariota to Desmond Ridder to Taylor Heinecke.

Cousins and Penix, at the very least, gives the team a quality quarterback room, one that could best serve the offensive talents on the team in running back Bijan Robinson, wideout Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts.