2024 NFL Draft: Kirk Cousins stunned by Falcons’ decision to take QB Michael Penix Jr. in Round 1, per report

The award for many shocking decide in the course of the first spherical of the 2024 NFL Draft undoubtedly goes to the Atlanta Falcons, who shocked everybody on Thursday night time by taking Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth general decide. 

The Falcons had been so secretive about their alternative that they did not even let Kirk Cousins know that it was going to occur. Through the draft broadcast, NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah revealed that Cousins and his camp had no thought the Falcons had been going to take a quarterback with their first decide. 

Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, made it clear, by way of NFL Community, that the Penix decide got here as “an enormous shock.”

“We had no thought this was coming. The reality is the entire league had no thought this was coming. We acquired no heads up. Kirk acquired a name from the Falcons once they had been on the clock. That was the primary we heard. It by no means got here up in any dialog.”

The Falcons tried to make issues proper by calling a surprised Cousins to inform him concerning the decide whereas they had been ON THE CLOCK, however that did not assist issues, according to The Athletic. Cousins was left “shocked” and “disenchanted” by Atlanta’s choice to take a quarterback, according to NFL Media. 

It is simple to grasp why Cousins was so stunned. The Falcons simply signed him to a four-year, $180 million contract again in March, so he had each cause to suppose that he was going to be Atlanta’s undisputed beginning quarterback over the following few years, however now, the Falcons have thrown a wrench into issues. Cousins’ contract solely consists of $90 million in assured cash, so the Falcons will be capable to get out of it after simply two seasons in the event that they determine they need to transfer on to Penix. To not point out, Penix can also be a stable insurance coverage coverage for Cousins, who missed many of the 2023 season with a torn Achilles. 

The choice to take Penix with the eighth general decide was a daring transfer by the Falcons, nevertheless it was a transfer that would actually find yourself creating some drama in Atlanta.