Falcons assistant GM defends selection of Michael Penix Jr.

The Falcons brought quarterback controversy on themselves by taking Michael Penix Jr. with the 8th overall selection less than two months after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract. It could end up being genius in the long run, but it will be nothing more than annoyance for front office members, players, and coaches over the next couple of seasons.

As long as the two quarterbacks are in the building, they will be at the forefront of the conversation. It really doesn’t matter what’s happening on the field, and that was the case earlier this week when multiple members of the organization met with the media.

All-Pro safety Jessie Bates II weathered the storm beautifully, like a true professional, saying, “I’m here to play football. Terry brought me here and I truly believe that everything that he does is to help this team. There’s going to be a lot of questions as to why we made that pick but as a leader I have to be like this is the vision.”

Having strong leaders in the locker room will make this situation much easier for Raheem Morris and the rest of the Falcons coaching staff to navigate, but their conviction in this plan is really what’ll make the difference.

That’s the kind of tone Assistant General Manager Kyle Smith took the podium with. He knows there are a lot of people second guessing the decision, but he believes Michael Penix was the type of quarterback prospect the Falcons couldn’t afford to pass up on.