The Atlanta Falcons made the most shocking move in the NFL Draft on Thursday night when they chose to select Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick in the draft just weeks after signing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year contract worth more than $100 million. The surprising move prompted Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot to explain the pick after the draft.
During his post-draft press conference, Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot explained that the team simply believed in Michael Penix Jr. and felt like they had to take him, even if he. ends up sitting on the bench for four or five years behind Cousins.
“If you believe in a quarterback, you have to take him. And if he sits for four or five years, that’s a great problem to have because we’re doing so well at that position. So, it’s as simple as, if you see a guy you believe in at that position, you have to take him,” Fontenot said according to Atlanta Falcons beat writer Marc Raimondi of ESPN.
It’s certainly a bizarre move for the team to draft a quarterback so high after just signing a quarterback to a four-year deal. We’ll have to see how it works out for the Falcons.
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