The Atlanta Falcons made the most shocking decision of the NFL Draft when they decided to select Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick in the draft just weeks after signing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to be their starter. The move even puzzled one former NFL head coach.
During a recent appearance on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich,” former Washington head coach Jay Gruden called out the team a little bit, saying that it was “a little bit odd” that the Falcons decided to select Michael Penix Jr. instead of fill a need with the pick.
“I think this way, what the Falcons did this year, is a little bit odd to me, especially with all the needs they had on defense,” Gruden told Dakich. “They had the pick of the litter on defense as far as pass rush is concerned.”
However, Gruden thinks it’s just a sign of the time and how desperate teams are for strong quarterback play.
“But it just shows the desperation teams have for finding the quarterback of the future. You gotta find him. You gotta continue to hunt for them. If you feel like you got one there and you can get him in your building, you gotta take a chance. And that’s what Atlanta did,” Gruden said.
We’ll have to see how it works out for Atlanta.
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