Matt Verderame, a sports pundit, named two of the best and two of the less respectable off-seasons of 2024.
In his opinion. For various reasons, Verderame emphasizes the off-seasons of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions. Pittsburgh was praised for their handling of the quarterback position, their ability to trade for quarterback Kenny Pickett, selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, and their two daring acquisitions of Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, who happen to be reasonably priced (a combined $4.4 million against the cap).
Verderame was left with more questions than answers after the Atlanta Falcons spent the same amount of money on Kirk and then on Michael Penix, Jr. with top-ten draft capital:
Terry Fontenot, general manager, had a great start to the winter season. Kirk Cousins inked a four-year, $180 million contract with him. Even though Cousins was 36 years old and recovering from an Achilles tear, it was more than justified. Claiming Cousins was a wise risk. In the worst situation, he might not fully heal and leave after two years. In the best-case scenario, he returns to form and the Falcons have a top-tier bridge for the next three to four years. And then there was the draft.
Dallas Turner of Alabama caught the attention of Atlanta, a team that held the eighth pick and desperately needed an edge rusher. It was the ideal situation. The card was submitted.
It is accurate. The Falcons are placing a significant wager that Cousins will recover from his Achilles injury. Indeed, Atlanta selected a quarterback in the top 10 despite having other roster gaps. If it doesn’t work, Atlanta will have to provide an explanation for all of these incidents.
Likewise, what happens if it does? What if quarterback play in Atlanta remains above average to good for more than ten years? So will the wager on Penix be worthwhile?
One of the primary worries, which is totally legitimate, is the lack of benefit Atlanta will receive from Penix’s rookie contract:
The enormous financial advantage of having the most costly position on a cheap contract makes taking a quarterback in the first round desirable in part.
Penix will control the Falcons for three years, even if they love him and cut Cousins after just two seasons. This implies that until Penix comes up for an extension, Atlanta receives no financial gain at all from him. Amazingly beautiful work. This cannot be disputed.
It’s awful to lose the benefit of the rookie quarterback contract, but Penix plays up to the investment in the quarterback room if he performs well in the starting lineup.
That being said, you’re placing a huge wager on this all working out flawlessly. There is a lot to doubt because there is practically no margin of error here, but if everything goes as the Falcons think, Atlanta will have consistency at the most crucial position in sports for years to come.
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