zbhargrove
Well-known member
I highly doubt it.
Really no reason he shouldn’t be. He makes all the throws for the top program in the nation. Has elite arm talent and ideal size. And he’s already been great and will continue to get better.
I highly doubt it.
They were average last year but had some free agency attrition (Dupree, Campbell, etc) and are a year older. Jarrett is also over 30 and coming off an ACL injury.
This defense has experienced natural erosion with very, very little in the way of addition. They've gone from average to awful and need additions to aspire to average.
Yes we are losing a couple guys but you also aren’t accounting for the improvement of the young guys. I do think Ebeketie and Harrison are on their way to being solid if not very good pieces.
I dont hate the Penix pick as much as everyone else. The ceiling for the Falcons with Cousins is very likely the Division round of the playoffs. I think Penix with 2 years to prepare and get a proper pro level conditioning can be a good QB. I think thats a good situation for him. If he is good it wont matter than they took him 8th.
Sitting a 21 year old QB two years is easier than sitting a 24 year old. I can't fathom drafting a 24 year old QB in the top 10 with the intention of him not playing until he's 26.
I think the age angle is pretty overblown. Quarterbacks can play until they are 45 in the modern NFL. Whether he’s ready at age 24 or 26 is beside the point imo.
The bigger sin is the Falcons are punting the best parts of having a young QB, the low cap hit. By the time Penix is established, they’re going to be on the clock to extend him.
Really no reason he shouldn’t be. He makes all the throws for the top program in the nation. Has elite arm talent and ideal size. And he’s already been great and will continue to get better.
A lot of QBs start to decline in their early 30s. Russell Wilson is one example. Cam Newton was done by age 30. You also start seeing injuries increasing after 30 which is very relevant with Penix.
The low cap hit is a big deal as well. If you draft a 24 year old, one of the benefits is they should be more ready to play and so you get more out of the rookie deal. The Falcons are frittering that away.
I also have an issue with them trying to straddle the fence between competing now and competing in the future. If you make Cousins one of the highest paid QBs in the NFL you're saying you're going for it now. If you do that you need to put everything into winning now, especially with a roster that has major holes like the Falcons'. If you draft Penix, you're building for a window to open in a year or two.
If you sign Cousins and draft Penix you're saying you're not committed to winning it all and a brief playoff appearance is enough, but you're also not committing to getting Penix broken in and are delaying a real window probably 4 years.
Falcons said they were in search of CB help, an actual hole on the roster and said “ We would have liked to add that position, but you do’t want to force a reach or do something you shouldn’t.“
Jeez bro. Read the room
I agree with all of this, especially paragraphs 2 and 3, less so 1.
Sitting a 21 year old QB two years is easier than sitting a 24 year old. I can't fathom drafting a 24 year old QB in the top 10 with the intention of him not playing until he's 26.
He's losing his 2 best weapons. He had a very good year, in 2023, but not really amazing in any way.
I probably shouldn't have said "I highly doubt it", because the class overall is very weak at the moment. I just think someone sets themselves apart as the season goes on, and I just don't think it's going to be Beck.
A lot of QBs start to decline in their early 30s. Russell Wilson is one example. Cam Newton was done by age 30. You also start seeing injuries increasing after 30 which is very relevant with Penix.
The low cap hit is a big deal as well. If you draft a 24 year old, one of the benefits is they should be more ready to play and so you get more out of the rookie deal. The Falcons are frittering that away.
I also have an issue with them trying to straddle the fence between competing now and competing in the future. If you make Cousins one of the highest paid QBs in the NFL you're saying you're going for it now. If you do that you need to put everything into winning now, especially with a roster that has major holes like the Falcons'. If you draft Penix, you're building for a window to open in a year or two.
If you sign Cousins and draft Penix you're saying you're not committed to winning it all and a brief playoff appearance is enough, but you're also not committing to getting Penix broken in and are delaying a real window probably 4 years.
He's losing his 2 best weapons. He had a very good year, in 2023, but not really amazing in any way.
I probably shouldn't have said "I highly doubt it", because the class overall is very weak at the moment. I just think someone sets themselves apart as the season goes on, and I just don't think it's going to be Beck.
I think the age angle is pretty overblown. Quarterbacks can play until they are 45 in the modern NFL. Whether he’s ready at age 24 or 26 is beside the point imo.
The bigger sin is the Falcons are punting the best parts of having a young QB, the low cap hit. By the time Penix is established, they’re going to be on the clock to extend him.