The Falcons invited plenty of speculation regarding their quarterback plans for Week 1 when coach Raheem Morris decided not to play rookie Michael Penix Jr. in either of the final two preseason games. Did that mean they’re concerned Kirk Cousins isn’t ready to go, following his torn Achilles tendon?
Running back Bijan Robinson believes Cousins is indeed good to go.
“He’s definitely ready to go,” Bijan told Jim Rome on Wednesday. “You know, he looks amazing like he didn’t even tear his Achilles. I mean, the dude’s out here sprinting in practice and just having fun with it. So like I know he’s amped up, I know he’s ready to go. But just to see like his progress from when he got here to now, and seeing how ready he is, I’m excited for him.”
That’s good news for the Falcons, if Cousins truly is ready not just to sprint but to plant his foot hard into the ground and to change directions decisively and suddenly without any issues in his surgically-repaired leg.
Whatever his current status, the Falcons opted not to let Penix get useful reps in two games that don’t count. If Cousins will be the wire-to-wire starter, they were the only reps Penix would be getting until the 2025 preseason.
So, yes, it’s still odd. And it will seem that way until Cousins is on the field playing like he was before he suffered the injury in 2023, six days after arguably one of his best career performances, on a Monday night against the 49ers.
The Falcons host the Steelers in 12 days to start the 2024 season.