ATL Isn't Crazy In Drafting Penix

[mgteich]

ATL drafted Penix at 8 after signing Cousins to a $160M 4-year contract ($100M) guaranteed.

Are they nuts?

Nope!
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Consider this scenario. The coach tells the owner that he believes that ATL has the best team in the Division and will be competitive to win the division for the foreseeable future, well unit someone one else becomes competitive in this very weak division.

The owner asks the obvious. He wants to know what will hold ATL back, and what we can do to help during this draft.

ANSWERS
1) Now that we have Cousins, the highest risk to success is if Cousins misses games. My solution is to draft a QB who can is a top QB and can step in immediately if Cousins goes down. Who did you have in mind? Penix!
2) Also, we need to bring in a couple of top DL's.

STATUS
8 Penix
35 Orhorhoro
74 Trice

Jeremiah had both the linemen in the low 40's.

CONCLUSION
IMO, ATL is much better off now than a week ago.








CONC

 

[jboston19]

I see what their gm was thinking. I also know that the QB class next year is very weak and that there’s a possibility atl may suffer some penalties for tampering…. With cousins.

But why sign cousins at all if you’re going to draft a qb that high, especially an older one?

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Sounds like they need brisette

 

[jmt57]

Atlanta didn't go from a 10-loss team to serious Super Bowl contender simply by signing Cousins. Their defense still needed upgrades with their pass rush (both Edge and DT), coverage (both CB and S), and after that they could also use an improvement to their WR and OL.

To me a better route for them would have been to trade down slightly and take a pass rusher like Latu, Turner or Verse. A 7-10 team doesn't have the luxury of using a #8 pick on a backup to be brought out on the field only in case of injury.

Yes, they did go all defense on the next several picks, but they missed out on a top level defender by selecting Penix.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

I see what their gm was thinking. I also know that the QB class next year is very weak and that there’s a possibility atl may suffer some penalties for tampering…. With cousins.

But why sign cousins at all if you’re going to draft a qb that high, especially an older one?

I heard on the radio today that ATL had shared the plan to draft the next QB before his contract was up to insure stability at the position. The surprise was that the pick was taken this year. They either really liked Penix, or heard the same reports about next years QB class.

 

[Keep Up With The Joneses]

I can't wrap my head around this. The goal is to win or at least make it to the Super Bowl. There are a lot of really good and improving teams in the way of that. We all know that the window to do this is extremely narrow most of the time. This isn't some perennial 14-2 team that stumbled into an early pick. They need help on defense if they want to contend.

If you're so worried about Cousins that you have to spend your #8 to protect the position, why would you sign him to a ridiculous deal?

Imagine if the Pats were in the thick of it and they spent their top 10 pick on a backup QB for Brady. We would all be losing our minds.

 

[Drunken Cicerone]

No it’s silly, bring in a veteran if you’re worried about Cousins getting hurt, not tossing a rookie in there and saying “good luck”

 

[Rob0729]

Terry Fontenot suggests that Penix could sit upwards to 4-5 years. Can you imagine drafting a QB in the top 10 and letting him sit his entire rookie deal?

What is the deal with teams having no confidence in Cousins yet throw tons of money at him? He is literally the second highest paid NFL player of all time because of it. The Falcons give him an $180 million contract ($100 million guaranteed) and draft his successor with the eighth pick two months later. It almost assures that Cousin will get one more big deal as long as he stays healthy.

 

[hellolin]

Penix is a very mature person so I don't doubt that he will be fitting in very well and learn. They said they want the Green Bay model, then they also have the confidence boost knowing that even BB was eyeing the ATL job, knowing their roster must not be too bad.

 

[PatsfanTN]

Disagree, terrible first round pick when you JUST signed Cousins. They had other holes that needed to be filled.

 

[oldrover]

Imagine if the Pats were in the thick of it and they spent their top 10 pick on a backup QB for Brady. We would all be losing our minds.

 

[XLIX]

The only way Penix plays is if Cousins gets injured or plays horribly. Yes those things are certainly possible, but you don't spend the #8 overall pick on a long term backup. You do that on day 3 of the draft (like NE did today).

As for Penix, I feel bad for him. He is in the horrible situation where he has to hope for an injury to Cousins or for Cousins to play horribly in order for him to see any real action over the next 3, maybe 4, years. This could easily ruin his entire career.

If I was him, I would give a lot of serious thought to not signing with Atlanta.

 

[TheRainMaker]

This is a GM and Coach killing move. Cousins still has some time and that 1st round pick should've been spent towards another need like defense. You don't spend all that money on a QB and then use a 1st round pick on someone who will not only sit for a few years, but will be an unknown.

 

[VJCPatriot]

This is a GM and Coach killing move. Cousins still has some time and that 1st round pick should've been spent towards another need like defense. You don't spend all that money on a QB and then use a 1st round pick on someone who will not only sit for a few years, but will be an unknown.

In fact Atlanta was in prime position to take Rome Odunze at #8 as well. So they could have given Cousins another big time weapon and instead... draft his replacement?

 

[Joey007]

Thank you for keeping your voice down

 

[TheRainMaker]

In fact Atlanta was in prime position to take Rome Odunze at #8 as well. So they could have given Cousins another big time weapon and instead... draft his replacement?

That offense would've potentially been loaded.

 

[jmt57]

Imagine how Cousins felt, watching the draft unfold.

Everything is perfect; two OTs are selected, leaving WR Rome Odunze available after Tennessee took Latham.

And then. . . it's like a nightmare you can't wake up from.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Nice going Rich “wormtongue” McKay.

 

[Family]

Stupidest draft move in memory.

You can't successfully go in two directions like this.

 

[farn]

Maybe drafting P isn’t the crazy part. Maybe it was giving 20% of one billion usd to an aging, injured Cousins.

Building for the future is sound. But both building towards 2026 AND spending crazy cash on a vet ? I dunno…

As others have posted : Rome was on the board and if he averages 1000-1200 yards in the next three years, there’ll be explaining to do.