The Falcons selecting Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall last year made things awkward for Kirk Cousins and seemingly the quarterback room as a whole. This year, Penix himself, now

Tight end Kyle Pitts had a 1,000-yard rookie season. Wide receiver Drake London finished with the fourth-most receiving yards in 2024. Bijan Robinson was the NFL's top three running backs last season, while quarterback Michael Penix Jr. showed a ton of promise in his three starts.

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is hoping he landed his next franchise quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. "I think it's important to remember he only has three games as a professional quarterback, as an NFL quarterback," Blank said during Saturday's press conference. "I think he's smart as heck, he's a really good leader, he works hard.