Falcons to host potential Kirk Cousins successor on pre-draft visit

The Falcons may have signed Kirk Cousins to the biggest free agent deal of the offseason, but Atlanta’s brass is still completing its due diligence on this draft’s class of quarterbacks.

It feels safe to assume the Falcons are going to be out on a first-round signal caller. However, Terry Fontenot got a front row seat to what not having a succession plan in place can result in.

Regardless of his role in the Deshaun Watson dilemma, Fontenot watched stability walk out of the door in the form of Matt Ryan, and the Falcons struggled to overcome the play of Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder, and Taylor Heinicke, which eventually ended with Arthur Smith losing his job.

Even though the Falcons have that stability back in Flowery Branch with Kirk Cousins, it’s never too early to think about a potential successor to groom behind a veteran like Cousins.

Jordan Schultz recently linked Michael Penix to Atlanta. “I think these three or four teams to watch out for Penix would be Seattle, Atlanta, potentially a sleeper would be the Rams,” Schultz said.

There’s at least surface level interest from the Falcons because they have a pre-draft visit lined up with Penix, he told reporters at his pro day on Thursday.

“Penix told ESPN that he has pre-draft visits scheduled with the Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers beginning next week,” Henderson wrote.