The Atlanta Falcons used the No. 8 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft on Michael Penix Jr. just months after handing Kirk Cousins $180 million, hoping they'd be set at quarterback for the next decade and beyond. Fast forward a couple of years, and it's safe to say that plan has completely backfired, with Cousins having been released and Penix's future in Atlanta now in limbo at best.
The reason why Penix could be on the outs comes down to Tua Tagovailoa earning the start for Week 1 of the NFL preseason. Sure, Penix's injury has something to do with Tagovailoa starting, but what if Tagovailoa plays well? It's not like Penix's track record is any better than his. Tagovailoa is probably the favorite to start under center for this Falcons team in the regular season, and if he wins the starting job, there's every reason to believe Atlanta would consider starting fresh and getting what it can for Penix. If the Falcons do trade Penix, here are some mock proposals they could consider.
Steelers trade package for Michael Penix Jr.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been looking for a franchise quarterback really since Ben Roethlisberger retired, and while Penix is far from that, an argument can be made that he's as good a bet to stick under center in Pittsburgh as they've had since Big Ben.
Penix wouldn't start right away with Aaron Rodgers in the fold, obviously, but who better for Penix to learn from than a future first-ballot Hall of Famer? It's hard to envision any of the other quarterbacks in the mix — Mason Rudolph, Drew Allar and Will Howard — being the long-term answer in Pittsburgh, so perhaps Penix, who is under contract through 2027, can do enough to impress the Steelers' brass.
As for Atlanta, yeah, it'd stink parting with Penix, a first-round pick, for a third-rounder a couple of years later, but if Penix is unable to beat Tagovailoa out for the starting job, it might make sense for them to cut their losses. There's a lot teams can do with third-round selections.
Lions trade package for Michael Penix Jr.
While Penix would have a clear path to a starting role in 2027, he'd have more work to do with the Detroit Lions. Jared Goff is under contract beyond the 2027 campaign, and while it's fair to question whether he's the quarterback who is going to lead the Lions over the top, they owe him too much money — and frankly, he's too good to have Penix starting games over him.
With that being said, it isn't a bad thing to have a good backup, and it goes without saying that the Lions' backup quarterback situation is among the worst in the sport right now. Teddy Bridgewater just announced his retirement, and that leaves Joshua Dobbs and undrafted rookie Luke Altmeyer as the only other quarterbacks on their roster. They're bound to sign someone to add a little more competition, but why not go out and trade for Penix, who is a better option than the free agents available at this point?
From Atlanta's perspective, again, something is better than nothing. A third-rounder is still a fairly valuable asset, and if Penix isn't going to win the starting job, it makes sense for the Falcons to try and get whatever they can for him and start over.
Browns trade package for Michael Penix Jr.
If there's a place where Penix can come in and start right away, it's probably Cleveland. The Cleveland Browns have arguably the worst quarterback situation in the league, with a room consisting of Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. Again, it's not as if Penix has shown much, but he has to be an upgrade, right? And he could very well prove to be Cleveland's franchise guy that it's been so eager to acquire.
At this point, why not take the shot if you're the Browns? Sure, things haven't gone swimmingly for Penix at all, and he's got a ton of injury risk, but he was also a top-eight pick just two years ago. He's only 26 years old, and again, he should be an upgrade over what they have. Even if he flames out in Cleveland or can't stay healthy, this kind of trade package wouldn't be an example of the Browns giving up all that much — especially since they have three fourth-round selections and two seventh-round picks in next year's NFL Draft.
The Falcons wouldn't be landing a third-rounder like in the other mock trades, but in this case, the Browns' fourth-round pick should be very early, making it extremely close to a third, and the Falcons would be adding on a seventh-rounder. That doesn't sound too bad.
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