The biggest mystery from Week 2 of the 2024 preseason arises from the unexpected decision of the Falcons to keep rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. out of Saturday’s visit to Baltimore.
Falcons coach Raheem Morris provided an explanation after the game: They’ve seen enough from him.
Enough for what?
With Kirk Cousins, who turned 36 today, the starter for one or two or three years (in theory), Penix’s best chance to get game reps will come in the preseason.
We listed some of the potential reasons for the decision to hold Penix out of the game as it happened. On Monday’s PFT Live, Simms added another one. Maybe the Falcons have concerns about Cousins being healthy ready to go for Week 1, which would mean they’d need to have Penix healthy and ready to go.
It’s also possible that the J.J. McCarthy injury freaked out the Falcons. Or maybe they didn’t want players, media, fans, and/or owner Arthur Blank to push for Penix to play right away.
Or maybe, just maybe, they’ve already decided to play Penix right away. It would be crazy, right? Only slightly more crazy than using the eighth overall pick on a quarterback after signing Cousins to a deal that pays out, as a practical matter, $100 million fully guaranteed.
Whatever the truth, it makes no sense to keep Penix from getting reps in the preseason, if he won’t be getting any during the 2024 regular season. So, you know, maybe he will.