Penix Jr. Already Ranked Way Ahead of Ridder among Backup Quarterbacks

After suffering through several years of poor quarterback play, the Atlanta Falcons invested heavily in the position in the offseason. The Falcons got their quarterback of the now in Kirk Cousins as well as their quarterback of the future in Michael Penix Jr.

Cousins received a 4-year, $180-million contract from the Falcons, and then Atlanta shocked nearly everyone by using the No. 8 overall pick on Penix.

There's no quarterback controversy in Atlanta as Cousins is the starter going into the 2024 season, making Penix one of the most talented backups in the NFL.

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How talented?

Gilbert Manzano of Sports Illustrated ranked the No. 2 quarterback for every team in the NFL in reverse order, and you have to scroll a long time to get to Penix's name. He comes in at No. 4 on the list.

"Perhaps this is a bit high for Penix, but obviously the Falcons think highly of him after using their No. 8 pick to draft him in April," wrote Manzano on Sports Illustrated. "That probably also meant many teams had Penix on their radar, leading Atlanta to make the controversial pick. Had he gone elsewhere, Penix appeared ready to be an immediate starter based on his memorable final season at Washington. Instead, he’ll wait for his opportunity as Kirk Cousins’s backup.'

That memorable final season included a controversial-second-place Heisman trophy finish after leading the nation in passing yards.

Penix finished behind veterans Joe Flacco (Colts), Gardner Minshew (Raiders), and Jake Browning (Bengals). However he finished well ahead of last year's Falcons starter Desmond Ridder, now with the Arizona Cardinals.

Ridder ranked No. 23 on Manzano's list.

Think about that for a moment. The quarterback anointed Atlanta Falcons starter by former head coach Arthur Smith is ranked the 23rd-best backup in the NFL.

Is it any wonder owner Arthur Blank gave the "OK" to general manager Terry Fontenot to invest so heavily in the position after being traumatized the last few years by the quarterback play from his team?

Not on the list is last year's backup Taylor Heinicke. Undrafted free agent John Paddock has a chance to make the team as the No. 3, giving Heinicke a chance to catch on somewhere else where he has a better chance to contribute.

Signing Cousins and drafting Penix may have seemed like an overcorrection at the time, but there's little doubt the Falcons' quarterback room is infinitely improved year-over-year.

And that was priority one for Fontenot and new head coach Raheem Morris this offseason.