The Atlanta Falcons were hoping their quarterback problems would be behind them after investing in Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. While Penix has been decent since joining Atlanta, he may not have done enough to justify a long-term commitment as their starter.
Josh Kendall of The Athletic recently brought up the dilemma surrounding Penix's looming contract extension, saying, "Penix has done nothing to justify picking up his fifth-year option, much less offering him a long-term deal."
To make matters worse, the Falcons now have brought in former Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who Kendall projects could be the Week 1 starter when the Falcons take on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Spending a top-ten pick on a quarterback and debating whether he even deserves getting his fifth-year option picked up should be telling in itself. Penix was somewhat of a reach when Atlanta picked him in that range, and now they're already coming to a realization why they, in all likelihood, should've prioritized the best available prospect over position at that point in the draft.
Cardinals should target Michael Penix Jr. amid Falcons' quarterback controversy
While some teams are laughing at the Falcons' quarterback controversy, unfortunately the Arizona Cardinals are not in that position. In fact, even the Falcons should be laughing at the Cardinals, as fans would love for the team to have to pick between Penix or Tagovailoa heading into 2026.
Instead, we have Jacoby Brissett still holding out as he expects to be paid a starter's salary.
Both Penix and Tagovailoa would be immediate upgrades over Brissett, and the fact that Penix's future in Atlanta suddenly seems in doubt should give Arizona every reason to explore a trade.
Maybe the Falcons are right, and Tagovailoa is the better short-term option to give them the best chance to win in 2026. But the Cardinals are coming off a three-win season and must continue to play the long game. They need to see if there's a potential buy-low opportunity on Penix to at least give them a chance to find that quarterback of the future.
Ideally, that option will come in the 2027 NFL Draft, where the Cardinals could have their choice between Texas' Arch Manning or Oregon's Dante Moore. But there's no guarantee that A.) The Cardinals are in a position to select one of those coveted prospects and B.) They actually pan out to become stars in the NFL.
Look at the elite quarterbacks around the league. Patrick Mahomes was taken No. 10, Josh Allen No. 7, and Lamar Jackson No. 32. There are countless other examples, but the position is more of a relative crapshoot than most would expect.
The Cardinals are so desperate at the position that they need to give themselves multiple bites at the apple. That should include targeting Penix to see if the Falcons are willing to part ways for a reasonable price after this latest development.
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