Here is what Falcons coach Raheem Morris, general manager Terry Fontenot and first-round selection quarterback Michael Penix Jr. had to say about the NFL draft Thursday. The pick came a month after the team signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year contract as a free agent.
Raheem Morris
“It was pretty simple for us. When you get Kirk Cousins, and you talk about short-term winning and winning right now, which we want to be in position to do, which we know we are going to be in position to do, we won’t have the ability to be picking this high again. These guys go off the board pretty quickly. We thought it would be important to address our future quarterback right now.
Terry Fontenot
“When you can add a high-caliber player like that, with his intangibles, those tools, he’s a winner, very, very excited. You don’t pass up that opportunity. Kirk Cousins is our quarterback. We are very excited about Kirk. Very excited about this team. Michael Penix, we are talking about the future.”
Michael Penix Jr.
“(Kirk Cousins is) a guy who’s been in the league. He’s been in there for a while. He’s played a lot of football. I’m going to come in and I’m going to learn. I’m going to learn from him. Try to soak up all of the knowledge that I can from him. Obviously, he’s been in the league for a while. There is reason behind that.”
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