Every NFL team's most baffling decision this offseason

As NFL teams take a look at their full rosters, some might be questioning how they approached a position, draft pick, or coaching staff. Where are teams looking at their situation with regret?

By Nick Villano | May 29, 2024, 1:06 PM EDT

Bills quarterback Josh Allen heads off the field after a 42-36 overtire loss to the Chiefs knocked them out of the playoffs. / Jamie Germano / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Atlanta Falcons: Drafting Michael Penix. Duh.

There were some insane draft picks in the first round of the NFL Draft. The fact that no defensive player was taken until almost the second half of the first round is baffling. The top three picks were quarterbacks, the son of a Hall of Famer went fourth overall, and as we mentioned, Patrick Mahomes might have been handed their latest favorite weapon (more on that later). Yet, all we could talk about for weeks after the draft was what the Atlanta Falcons did.

With the eighth-overall pick, the Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. out of Washington. Ignoring a few things, the move makes sense. The Falcons have needed the solution at quarterback for years. They tried to put their hope into Desmond Ridder, but that failed. They tried to replace Matt Ryan with Marcus Mariota, and we all knew that would fail. So, why not get an NFL-ready pro to build a talented offense around?

Probably because you just gave Kirk Cousins a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million guaranteed. The Falcons already invested in their quarterback of the present. While one can argue that Penix is the long-term piece, his injury history had most thinking it would be a crazy ride with early highs but late lows.

Who knows, maybe playing backup is what’s best long term for the 24-year-old QB, but logic says that’s not the case. Right now, even with just the guaranteed money in mind, Penix doesn’t get the job until he’s 27. That’s just a strange decision with a top-10 pick.

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