***2024 NFL Draft***

[SolterraCyclone]

Its not really that hard to figure out, KC did the same thing when they drafted Mahomes. At the time the Chiefs were a playoff caliber team and Smith was a pro bowl player, but they saw something in Mahomes that told them he can be a SB caliber QB, while Smith is not going to be able to get you there, much like Cousins.

I would guess the Falcons think Penix is more like Mahomes and will be a difference maker in a year or two. He can learn under Cousins, and if Cousins gets hurt, they have Penix to play. The contract with Cousin's also allows him to be released after two years and even though they owe him $100 million on the contract they thought it was worth it. None of the QB slated for next year's draft are as good as Penix is and were fine drafting a player they thought could win big for them in the future. It's a gamble, but not any worse than any of the other teams that took a QB in the first-round last night, because most of them are likely to end up be average to below as being the next Barrow or Mahomes.

Kansas City was a playoff team with Smith though. The Falcons were 7-10 and had the 17th-ranked scoring D in the worst division in football, AND they had their pick of all the defensive players in the draft at their disposal.

I get what you’re saying comparing them to GB, I’m saying the Falcons aren’t in the position those GB teams were AND weren’t operating like they were building for the future leading into the draft.

If they loved Penix that much, they could have gone out and signed Darnold cheap and taken Penix and use the additional cap space to help the D.

It’s just a really risky, unnecessary move with a low percentage of success imo.

 

[JM4CY]

 

[isucy86]

On the surface I can agree it doesn’t make sense to draft Penix at 8 when they just spent $100m in guaranteed money for Cousins, especially when defense, especially an edge rusher, is such a need for them. However, despite a bad defense, the Falcons were one average QB away from running away with the NFL South last season - and the Falcons have not had at least an average QB since they let Ryan go (and he probably degraded below that status before they did). Cousins maybe has 2-3 years left in his prime (assuming his Achilles injury didn’t shorten that), and odds are with Cousins playing the Falcons aren’t going to have a top 10 pick for the foreseeable future. So why not draft your QB of the future now and actually develop the guy without putting a ton of pressure on him to perform in the meantime? Sure, the rest of the world will question the pick, and you might have upset Cousins, but face it - he can cry himself to sleep at night with his $100m guaranteed.

I can understand that logic. However, Penix isn't a 21 year old player like a Williams or McCarthy. He's 24 so I can't see him sitting behind Cousins for 3 years. Also, when a team invests $100M in a QB, seems like they should build the team around him to succeed.

In the end, if Penix beats out Cousins, the Falcons can probably find some team to take the contract off their hands. Heck wouldn't surprise me if some teams (e.g. Raiders) don't reach out to Falcons about Cousins. "Give us Cousins and a future 3rd round pick and we'll take his contract off your hands!"

 

[Cyforce]

I'm still scratching my head on the Penix selection. I like him a lot as a QB, but he will only have a year or two on his rookie deal before he plays regularly if Cousins stays healthy. It seemed like Atlanta was just desparate for a QB.

Having a $25 mil AAV makes that contract tradable if he's productive.

 

[Stormin]

Cousins has to realize his supposed 4 year deal with the Falcons is really for only 2 years in all likelihood. Probably won’t collect the $35 million per for the last 2 years. But don’t feel bad for Cousins since he got a $50 million signing bonus.

Only $10 million guaranteed in 2026. And the big cap hits are done. Penix will be starter in 2026.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

Kansas City was a playoff team with Smith though. The Falcons were 7-10 and had the 17th-ranked scoring D in the worst division in football, AND they had their pick of all the defensive players in the draft at their disposal.

I get what you’re saying comparing them to GB, I’m saying the Falcons aren’t in the position those GB teams were AND weren’t operating like they were building for the future leading into the draft.

If they loved Penix that much, they could have gone out and signed Darnold cheap and taken Penix and use the additional cap space to help the D.

It’s just a really risky, unnecessary move with a low percentage of success imo.

True but the Falcons play in a bad division, that is up for grabs right now. They have the 11th pick tonight in the 2nd round, the 10th and 15 picks in the 3rd round tonight also. Tomorrow they have picks in the 4th, 5th, two in the 6th. They can go out and get defensive help between tonight and tomorrow.

I do not have to love the pick to understand what they are attempting to do here, start Cousins for a couple seasons, hopefully get to the playoffs with him, and then when Penix is ready to take over, trade or release Cousins and not reload again. Its a gamble, without a doubt, but like they said repeatedly last night, "if that player is the one that you think is a difference maker, then go out and get him." That is what the Falcon's did, I guess we will find out in a couple of years if they were right or not. But you could say the same thing about all five other teams that took a QB last night. They all think they got their guy to win with.

 

[shadow]

I watched a clip on ESPN. Goodell is thinking about shrinking preseason from 4 games to 2 games, extend regular season to 18 games, and have Super Bowl on the weekend before President's Day.

 

[KnappShack]

I watched a clip on ESPN. Goodell is thinking about shrinking preseason from 4 games to 2 games, extend regular season to 18 games, and have Super Bowl on the weekend before President's Day.

18 games? Didn't see that coming. More games for player safety

 

[Gonzo]

I watched a clip on ESPN. Goodell is thinking about shrinking preseason from 4 games to 2 games, extend regular season to 18 games, and have Super Bowl on the weekend before President's Day.

Are they going to change it to Saturday so we don't have to drag a$$ into work completely hung the hell over the next morning?

 

[shadow]

Are they going to change it to Saturday so we don't have to drag a$$ into work completely hung the hell over the next morning?

Goodell mulls 18 games, SB on long weekend

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is mulling a future with 18 regular-season games, a Presidents Day weekend Super Bowl Sunday and a significant increase in international games.

www.espn.com

 

[BMWallace]

Goodell mulls 18 games, SB on long weekend

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is mulling a future with 18 regular-season games, a Presidents Day weekend Super Bowl Sunday and a significant increase in international games.

www.espn.com

If they do 18 games, they need to expand the active roster to something like 58, and the game day roster to 52.

 

[Clark]

True but the Falcons play in a bad division, that is up for grabs right now. They have the 11th pick tonight in the 2nd round, the 10th and 15 picks in the 3rd round tonight also. Tomorrow they have picks in the 4th, 5th, two in the 6th. They can go out and get defensive help between tonight and tomorrow.

I do not have to love the pick to understand what they are attempting to do here, start Cousins for a couple seasons, hopefully get to the playoffs with him, and then when Penix is ready to take over, trade or release Cousins and not reload again. Its a gamble, without a doubt, but like they said repeatedly last night, "if that player is the one that you think is a difference maker, then go out and get him." That is what the Falcon's did, I guess we will find out in a couple of years if they were right or not. But you could say the same thing about all five other teams that took a QB last night. They all think they got their guy to win with.

If they thought he was a difference maker, why sign Cousins to a deal in the first place? That's the part that doesn't make sense. Penix isn't some 20 year old qb with 12 starts under his belt, he might be the most pro ready of all the qb's that was drafted. It makes no sense to plan to sit him for two years given his age and experience.

The pick itself isn't great based on value but as you say if you like him, take him and if he's great nobody will care and if he's not you'll be fired regardless of how good the pick looked at the time.

It's the combination of the pick and the signing of Cousins that doesn't make any sense. It's not like Cousins was in the middle of a long and expensive contract, they had to have known they were likely to take a qb when they gave him all that money for that length of a deal.

 

[NoCreativity]

I watched a clip on ESPN. Goodell is thinking about shrinking preseason from 4 games to 2 games, extend regular season to 18 games, and have Super Bowl on the weekend before President's Day.

Great, even more severe injuries and the playoffs eating more into college basketball season.

 

[isufbcurt]

I know the De Jean was a hawk but I don't get why people are actively cheering him falling out of the first round.

He is a freak athlete from small town Iowa. I am rooting for him.

He's a hawk, so I wish him all the worst.

 

[clonedude]

True but the Falcons play in a bad division, that is up for grabs right now. They have the 11th pick tonight in the 2nd round, the 10th and 15 picks in the 3rd round tonight also. Tomorrow they have picks in the 4th, 5th, two in the 6th. They can go out and get defensive help between tonight and tomorrow.

I do not have to love the pick to understand what they are attempting to do here, start Cousins for a couple seasons, hopefully get to the playoffs with him, and then when Penix is ready to take over, trade or release Cousins and not reload again. Its a gamble, without a doubt, but like they said repeatedly last night, "if that player is the one that you think is a difference maker, then go out and get him." That is what the Falcon's did, I guess we will find out in a couple of years if they were right or not. But you could say the same thing about all five other teams that took a QB last night. They all think they got their guy to win with.

The Falcons aren't doing anything significant in the next few years folks. This year's draft was not going to suddenly make them contenders.

 

[Marcelason78]

They’re showing TVondre Sweat tonight as the 10th best available DT. It will be interesting to see how far he falls because of the DWI.

 

[Gonzo]

Here go the WRs...

 

[Clonehomer]

Goodell mulls 18 games, SB on long weekend

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is mulling a future with 18 regular-season games, a Presidents Day weekend Super Bowl Sunday and a significant increase in international games.

www.espn.com

Since when is Presidents’ Day a long weekend? Maybe I’m in the wrong industry.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

If they thought he was a difference maker, why sign Cousins to a deal in the first place? That's the part that doesn't make sense. Penix isn't some 20 year old qb with 12 starts under his belt, he might be the most pro ready of all the qb's that was drafted. It makes no sense to plan to sit him for two years given his age and experience.

The pick itself isn't great based on value but as you say if you like him, take him and if he's great nobody will care and if he's not you'll be fired regardless of how good the pick looked at the time.

It's the combination of the pick and the signing of Cousins that doesn't make any sense. It's not like Cousins was in the middle of a long and expensive contract, they had to have known they were likely to take a qb when they gave him all that money for that length of a deal.

I heard an interview with the GM of the Falcons on the NFL channel this afternoon, he said they Penix was their guy, they wanted to have him play under Cousin's for a year or two and they thought that if they win like they think they can the next couple of years, that they will not be drafting 8th, but back in the draft and a QB of Penix talent level will not be available for them so they would have to trade up to get one.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

The Falcons aren't doing anything significant in the next few years folks. This year's draft was not going to suddenly make them contenders.

No one is saying they are a contender to win the SB, but they are going to be good enough to win the division, that is their goal for the year. Carolina is rebuilding, not sure Tampa or NO is that much better than they are. Its a risk, maybe it will work, maybe not, but at least they are trying.