Falcons brass defend draft evening shocker, mum on Kirk Cousins response

Atlanta Falcons basic supervisor Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris had plenty of explaining to do after the primary spherical of the NFL Draft on Thursday evening. 

Chargeable for the largest shocker of the night, the Falcons drafted former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 choose, a call that got here just a bit over a month after veteran sign caller Kirk Cousins was signed to a four-year, $180 million deal. 

To make issues worse, the previous Minnesota Vikings star was additionally at nighttime in regards to the Falcons’ plans till Atlanta was already on the clock. 

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Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, informed ESPN instantly after that Cousins was knowledgeable about plans to draft Penix solely at that second and that there’s a sense of frustration that the first-round choose wasn’t used to enhance the roster for the season forward. 

Fontenot and Morris appeared to enter harm management of their press convention reporters.  

“You don’t go up that chance,” Fontenot mentioned, calling Penix a “high-caliber” participant.  

“Kirk Cousins is our quarterback, we’re very enthusiastic about Kirk, very enthusiastic about this group, and Michael Penix is – we’re speaking in regards to the future,” he continued, earlier than reiterating the Falcons’ assist of Cousins. 

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins speaks throughout a information convention Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Flowery Department, Georgia. Cousins has one playoff victory in his lengthy profession. The Falcons are betting at the very least $100 million that he is the man who can cause them to their first Tremendous Bowl title in franchise historical past.  (AP Photograph/Mike Stewart)

FALCONS’ KYLE PITTS REACTS TO SHOCKING MICHAEL PENIX JR PICK IN REAL TIME: ‘I LIKE THIS ONE’

“Kirk is our quarterback, however including Michael Penix is considering the longer term.” 

Fontenot and Morris continued to area questions on their choose, however when requested in regards to the reviews of Cousins’ obvious dismay, the pair remained tight-lipped. 

“We wouldn’t share that,” Fontenot mentioned.  

“Reactions are fairly personal,” Morris added. “There’s by no means a proper time to speak to a quarterback about these issues, and reactions are all the time going to be personal in relation to these issues, until Kirk decides to inform you a few of these issues, or regardless of the case could also be. However he’s a competitor, similar to us all, and you may all the time anticipate these issues to go similar to you sort of suppose.” 

Raheem Morris speaks to the media after being launched as the pinnacle coach of the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 5, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia.  (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Pictures)

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Fontenot and Morris referenced “the Inexperienced Bay mannequin,” referring to what the Packers did when drafting Jordan Like to again up Aaron Rodgers within the 2020 NFL Draft. Fontenot recommended that it could possibly be years earlier than Penix takes over. 

“In case you consider in a quarterback, it’s a must to take him,” Fontenot mentioned. “And if he sits for 4 or 5 years, that is an important downside to have, as a result of we’re doing so effectively at that place. So, it is so simple as, in the event you see a man that you just consider in at that place, it’s a must to take him.”

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