Michael Penix Jr. had a couple of good performs and a few regrettable misses in his NFL preseason debut

In his NFL debut in opposition to the Miami Dolphins on Friday evening, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. wasn’t actually auditioning for the right here and now. This was in regards to the future as a lot or greater than it was in regards to the current.

Penix, chosen eighth total within the 2024 NFL draft out of Washington after the Falcons had already signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million assured, wasn’t preventing for a beginning spot, or for his place on the roster. Head coach Raheem Morris and his workers needed to see the place the Washington alum was in his growth. Penix is on the Aaron Rodgers/Jordan Love plan the place he’ll sit for some time – possibly a number of years – earlier than he will get his full alternative to excel within the NFL.

Total, Penix was blissful along with his efficiency in Atlanta’s 20-13 loss, although there was no less than one throw he’d like again. He accomplished 9 of 16 passes for 104 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, and a few meat left on the bone.

“I really feel like I did okay,” Penix stated after his entry into the NFL. “Some issues that positively… I would like it to get higher. I really feel like I executed the offense the very best that I might, and I positively had one mistake, one mistake. The bare eye or the followers – they wouldn’t discover it, however in our offense, I do know it.”

Penix was referring to a checkdown the place he appeared the unsuitable approach; that will have been this 9-yard cross to operating again Jase McClellan with 14:41 left within the second quarter. Penix was eyeing receiver Chris Blair on one 15-yard reduce route over the center of the sector when he may need been higher off going with receiver Casey Washington on the opposite 15-yard reduce path to the suitable boundary.

The play Morris stated after the sport that he would have favored again for his younger quarterback was the simple out path to rookie receiver Casey Washington with 7:39 left within the first quarter.

“I felt actually good about Michael,” Morris concluded. “He desires a type of throws again, that out that he threw on the sideline, however he was capable of undergo some progressions actually have the ability to progress — we get just a little pass-happy with him, clearly being your first-round quarterback, but it surely was enjoyable to see him go on the market and execute among the cross performs and have the ability to get among the stuff accomplished and actually lead the offense and get them out and in of the huddle. Just about — a reasonably good evening for him, and I used to be fairly happy with what he was capable of do.”

Penix struggled greater than anyone would have favored on these outdoors throws, particularly on a number of makes an attempt to Washington, who has turn into an early Penix favourite. Washington, the sixth-round choose from Illinois, caught three passes on 9 targets for 27 yards, however there was much more simply out of his attain.

Washington caught my consideration earlier this yr as an enormous, quick ball-winner, and I used to be stunned that he lasted so long as he did within the draft.

“You at all times need to get a great analysis of the blokes you draft,” Morris stated about that connection. “Once you get an opportunity to get it to your first-round [pick] in Michael, and also you get an opportunity to guage Casey just a little bit, you need to give him some alternatives and get the ball out that approach.”

One constructive instance of Penix going via his progressions (as Morris famous) was this 16-yard completion to Washington with 7:45 left within the first quarter. The Falcons dialed up a Sean McVay staple – mirrored intermediate reduce routes with a entrance facet in-cut beneath. No shock there, as new Atlanta offensive coordinator Zac Robinson was a McVay assistant with the Los Angeles Rams from 2019-2023.

Penix first learn the frontside out-cut to tight finish Ross Dwelley, determined in opposition to it, used a pump faux to freeze linebacker Ezekiel Vandenburgh, and hit Washington on the bottom dig. Penix’s work with progressions didn’t at all times pan out, however he confirmed an understanding of extra than simply the straightforward stuff. That was a terrific Quarters-beater, and in an NFL the place Cowl-4 is extra of a factor than ever earlier than, having a quarterback who can execute it’s a plus.

Penix appreciates the whole lot about Washington, although the on-field outcomes didn’t fairly play out the primary time round.

“Man, he’s a employee,” Penix stated of Washington after the sport. “He’s a man that desires to work every day he is available in. We constructed that belief. We constructed that belief via the offseason, simply persevering with to get work even on the off-days. He works extraordinarily laborious. Man, it’s best to have seen his smile when he first touched the sector. He was in his blissful place. I ain’t seen no smile that large. He was excited to be on the market. Man, he made performs at any time when the ball comes his approach. For me, I’ve obtained to discover a option to get it to him.”

Hopefully, that Penix/Washington tandem will repay in a clearer approach within the Falcons’ second preseason sport this Saturday in opposition to the Baltimore Ravens. Total, the Falcons ought to be inspired by two issues – Michael Penix’s capacity to deal with an NFL offense with some wild vertical throws that don’t have worrisome precedent, and the addition of Casey Washington to a roster already crammed with offensive weapons which have all types of untapped potential.