Kevin Stefanski was asked whether Michael Penix Jr. will be the team’s quarterback when healthy. The new Atlanta Falcons coach’s answer said a lot without really saying anything.
“Yeah, not big on giving out positions in February,” Stefanski told Atlanta reporters at the NFL combine. “I think you guys know how I feel about Michael, and I’m excited about his trajectory. I also know he’s focused on his rehab, which is the right thing to do.”
The previous Falcons regime, led by coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot, went all-in on Penix, the 2024 No. 8 pick. Whenever Morris was asked about Penix, he unequivocally stated that he would be the team’s starting quarterback when he returns from a torn left ACL he suffered last November.
The new decision-makers -- Stefanski, GM Ian Cunningham and president of football Matt Ryan -- have not quite said the same, which makes sense. Morris and Fontenot drafted Penix and groomed him to be the team’s quarterback of the future. The new regime does not seem to want to paint itself into a corner.
Cunningham said Tuesday that he didn’t scout Penix much when he was coming out of Washington because the GM was with the Chicago Bears, and they were set on taking Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in 2024.
“You evaluate the games that he’s played, but again, we understand -- I’m sure you realize this, too -- there’s more than just playing, right?” Cunningham said. “And that’s the part that I haven’t had a chance to get to know him much. It was fun for him to be able to come into the building. He came into the draft room last week to kind of introduce himself in person, so we got a chance to talk a little bit, and I told him, ‘Hey, we’re in here trying to find you guys some more teammates.’”
Stefanski, Cunningham and Ryan are not saying Penix will not be their guy. It’s likely that they don’t know yet. Penix said in recent interviews that he believes he will be healthy by Week 1, but it’s tough to predict that with seven more months until opening kickoff.
What is known is that the Falcons will be moving on from Kirk Cousins. Cunnigham said Tuesday that the team will release him March 11, the first day of the new league year. A Cousins contract restructure helped free up salary cap space for the Falcons heading into free agency and releasing the veteran QB will clear a bit more. Cousins’ dead-cap hit will be $22,500,000 in 2026 and $12,500,000 in 2027.
That also means the Falcons will be in the market for a quarterback -- again -- this offseason. It’s still to be determined if Atlanta will look for a veteran QB who can mentor Penix or someone who can compete with Penix for the job. In any case, the Falcons will need someone -- perhaps even a quarterback to start Week 1 because of Penix’s injury.
The Falcons have had a different Week 1 starter every year since 2021, which was Ryan’s last season with the team. Now, Ryan is part of the brain trust deciding who could be the team’s, well, next Matt Ryan.
Atlanta will not have a lot of cap room. And the Falcons do not have a first-round pick, either. So, they could be looking at a serviceable veteran who can win games such as Joe Flacco or Case Keenum, both of whom are free agents who have experience with Stefanski.
Malik Willis and Daniel Jones will probably be out of Atlanta’s price range, plus the Indianapolis Colts are likely bringing back Jones. Could the Falcons go after aging former stars such as Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson? Or a journeyman such as Tyrod Taylor, Mitchell Trubisky or Jimmy Garoppolo? How about their former QB Marcus Mariota or someone in their 20s with potential upside, such as Zach Wilson, Kenny Pickett or Trey Lance?
This Falcons’ regime has to make some decisions in the next few weeks and months regarding the most important position on the field.
“What’s today’s date? February?” Stefanski said. “So, we don’t play for a little while. So, I think with any roster type of decisions ... as you look at it in February, it’s so different a month from now, two months from now, three months from now. So, we will work through all those things. Like I’ve told you guys, Mike is working very hard in attacking his rehab, which is the most important thing he can do right now. But we will work through all those things.”