Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s season ended last week when he suffered a partially torn left ACL in a loss to the Panthers. It’s possible the recovery process will take long enough to jeopardize Penix’s availability for the beginning of the 2026 campaign, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic.
Penix will undergo surgery “sooner than later,” head coach Raheem Morris said this week. Morris also expressed optimism that Penix will be ready for Week 1 next season, but he added “that’s a guestimation by me, not medical information.”
It’s doubtful that Penix will be a full participant in the Falcons’ offseason program, according to Kendall. That could decrease his chances of taking the field in the Falcons’ 2026 season opener, which would throw a wrench into Morris’ plans.
If Penix isn’t ready at the outset of next year, it’s unclear who will take the reins for the Falcons. Kirk Cousins will finish this season as the Falcons’ starter, but his time in Atlanta could end soon after that.
The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $160MM contract with $90MM fully guaranteed a little over a month before drafting Penix eighth overall in 2024. The decision to splurge on the former Washington and Minnesota starter has blown up in Atlanta’s face. Cousins performed poorly enough last year that Morris demoted him in favor of Penix in Week 15. Penix kept the starting job until his injury, leaving Cousins as a ridiculously overpriced backup since last December.
Cousins still has two years remaining on his contract, but he’s due to count an untenable $57.5MM against the Falcons’ salary cap in both 2026 and ’27. An offseason release seems likely. Cutting Cousins would allow the Falcons to spread a much more manageable $35MM hit over the next two seasons, Kendall notes.
Moving on from Cousins with Penix recovering from surgery would put the Falcons in the market for QB insurance during the offseason. They’ll likely consider various free agent and trade options. The Falcons could also draft someone, but it would have to come after the first round. They’re not in position to use another Round 1 selection on a signal-caller until 2027, having traded their 2026 first-rounder to the Rams at last year’s draft. With the Falcons off to a 3-7 start, that pick could wind up in the top 10.
In a best-case scenario for the Falcons, a healthy Penix will establish himself as a franchise passer next season. However, it’s concerning that the 25-year-old carries a lengthy injury history, including two right ACL tears in college. He also hasn’t offered high-level production over his first 12 starts in the NFL. The Falcons have gone 4-8 with Penix at the controls. It’s too soon to write Penix off, but the Falcons will have to come up with an effective backup plan this offseason in the wake of his latest injury.
They better clean house, there is no way they’re winning their final 7 games to sniff the playoffs…saw a CBS statement saying almost any coach is willing to coach this roster next season
I wish they would clean house also.
Averaging 6-7 wins a year, the past 8 years,
expected to barely getting into playoffs, yet failing miserably most years.
Underachievering offensive skill players.
Horrible coaching.
No qb. No 1st round pick.
But I bet they’ll stay the course. The FO tends to like the salesman type coaching.
Yeh….that sounds as if it was written by the “journalist” who covers pickle ball not one in his right mind who covers Football for a living….look, there are plenty of candidates who would love getting a job as HC including the Atlanta job but the statement that “any coach would be willing to coach this team next year with this roster” is total BS…..click bate…
Clean house minus Bijan and Drake. Love those guys
I meant management and coaches…Most the players are pretty solid. Definitely a playoff caliber team (except that they aren’t lol)
Which bothers me lmao drake has gotten multiple 100 yard games this year our O line has improved we have a top 4 RB stud Super Bowl winning OC and still almost dead last in nfc this sh•t is so annoying lmao
Keep hearing about how strong an arm this QWB has….strong arms don’t necessarily mean you’ll be a success….Brady didn’t have the strongest arm….Penix looks like a .500 QB and he better watch out because its possible he might have BUST written all over him…..
Intangibles > Athleticism
Always.
Probably depends on how much of that knee is left. He plays on turf half the season and with games against Saints and Panthers. His legs are going to take a beating,
Hopefully the only person throwing a wrench into Rah Rah’s plans next season is his mechanic. If he’s back as HC it will throw a wrench into all Falcons fans’ hopes for watchable football
6 years of NCAA FB. No wonder he is older than some other QB with more NFL experience.
That has absolutely nothing to do with why he isn’t performing to expectations.
It feels inevitable that Shedeur Sanders will become a QB for the Falcons eventually… so everything will be fine 🙂
Wow, $35 million just to get rid of Cousins (beats paying him $115 million to stay on the roster for two more years).
Even if he can’t win playoff games, that Cousins sure writes a tough contract. $100 million for two seasons.
Certainly makes sense that the Falcons hung on to Cousins for this season though. They know Penix is injury prone.
2026 numbers on Cousins are more interesting. $22.5 million to cut him. $57.5 million to keep him. So the difference is $30 million. Cousins may end up staying another year in Atlanta. There’s no way one gets a starting QB like Cousins for less than $30 million.
Cut date may be 2027 where it’s $12.5 million to cut him and $57.5 million to keep him. The opportunity cost for Atlanta to keep Cousins on the roster is $45 million in 2027.