Falcons Announce Plan For Rookie Quarterback Michael Penix

The Atlanta Falcons shocked most of the NFL world this offseason when they drafted Washington's Michael Penix Jr. in the first round back in April.

Penix was considered a first-round talent ahead of the draft, but the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a lucrative free agent deal just a few weeks prior, causing many to wonder what the plan would be for Penix's development.

Kirk Cousins has been the unquestioned starter for Atlanta this season, but with his struggles in recent weeks, some have asked if head coach Raheem Morris is ready to make a change.

The Falcons clearly took Penix at No. 8 overall with an eye on the future, and the team says that he will get his opportunity to prove what he can do when they feel like he's ready.

“I told you right from the beginning, he's our future," Morris said, according to ESPN's Marc Raimondi.

“And to be able to have the respect, to be able to have the confidence, to be able to have the wherewithal to support Kirk and all this stuff, too, it’s a great learning lesson for him as well. So, when you go through all that process, you can look at different organizations [that have] pulled the trigger and put guys out there too early and it’s gone terrible, and I don’t want to be that guy.”

Morris says that Penix will get his chance to play "when it's time," but he also noted that the idea of changing quarterbacks has crossed his mind amid Cousins' struggles.

"For me, it’s the ultimate encouragement and backing for my building and for my state of the union to go out there and support [Cousins]," Morris said.

“So, to say benching doesn’t cross your mind, you’ve always got to consider those things if you feel like it’s something that’s ... irreparable or whatever the case may be. But I don’t feel that way. I feel like [Cousins is] going to come out of this thing, and he’s going to go on a run here and get us to do the things that we need to do.”

We'll see if Morris' decision to keep his faith in Cousins is rewarded with a playoff appearance for the Falcons this season, or if Penix gets his change for a team in desperate need of a new quarterback.