Kirk Cousins was ‘stunned’ to see Falcons pick Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall at 2024 NFL Draft a month after Atlanta signed the 35-year-old QB to a four-year, $180million deal

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​was “a little stunned” when he saw team fellow signal caller Michael Penix Jr. took with the eighth pick of the NFL Draft, according to Dianna Russini of athletics.

Reports from Daniel Jeremiah and others at the NFL Network have since confirmed Cousins’ surprise at the move.

The Falcons extended their recent trend of selecting offensive skill players in the first round by drafting Penix a month after Cousins ​​signed a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed. Using a draft slot normally reserved for players expected to make an immediate impact, the Falcons selected Penix as the apparent long-term successor to the 35-year-old Cousins.

The Falcons were expected to use the pick to boost their pass rush.

The Falcons also focused on offensive playmakers with their final three first-round picks. Tight end Kyle Pitts was the No. 4 overall pick in 2021, followed by wide receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson, both No. 8, the past two years.

Michael Penix Jr. finishes his sprint during the NFL Pro Day in Washington

Penix, who will turn 24 as a rookie, led FBS schools with 4,903 passing yards and was third with 36 touchdown passes. He won the Maxwell Award as the best player in the country.

Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said this week that he would consider selecting a quarterback high in the draft even if most of the outside attention was on edge rushers.

“If we see a player that we think can be a franchise quarterback at any time, whether it’s this draft, the next draft, whether it’s a player we can trade for, whatever it is, then you can bring that player in because we are when we talk about the next four to five years, plus when we talk about the guys we are drafting,” Fontenot said.

“It’s no different than when we’re talking about any other position, like you said. You can say it is a surplus now, but it could be a great need in the long term. I think that because of that and because of the magnitude of the effects and the impact of that position you always have to be prepared to bring in players.’

The Falcons’ draft will not be affected by the NFL’s investigation into the team’s possible violation of the tampering policy before signing Cousins, who appeared to indicate he had been in communication with team officials at a time when it team should have only talked to them. his agent.