The NFL’s quarterback carousel spins with a unique brand of chaos—sometimes a graceful waltz, other times a dizzying tilt-a-whirl that leaves veterans wondering where the ground went. For Kirk Cousins, Atlanta felt like solid earth after leaving Minnesota’s frozen tundra. A four-year, $180 million fortress built on $100 million guaranteed and the promise of being the guy. Then, the Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall. Suddenly, the ground beneath Captain Kirk felt less like Georgia clay and more like quicksand.
“Certainly, if I had that information around free agency—talking about them drafting ‘Pinnicks’—it would have affected my decision,” Cousins admitted recently, the rare hint of controversy from the typically stoic QB. “I had no reason to leave Minnesota with how much we loved it there if both teams were going to be drafting a quarterback high.” His comments echoed the night of the draft surprise, when his camp felt blindsided.
As ESPN’s Dan Graziano noted, “They weren’t upfront with us about this and all… Leaving Minnesota, Minnesota tried to keep him. Atlanta was offering a lot more in guaranteed money.” Cousins’ 2024 season—3,508 yards, 18 TDs, 16 INTs in 14 games before the benching—was solid, punctuated by that franchise-record 509-yard, 4-TD eruption against Tampa. But the future shifted seismically with Penix’s arrival.
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— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) July 11, 2025
Now, Cousins navigates an unprecedented NFL purgatory: a $27.5 million backup with a no-trade clause, his agent’s fortress-like contract design becoming an unintended prison. “Obviously, having been benched for Michael ‘Pinnicks’ last year, his hope going into this offseason was that they would cut him. Or if not, then they would trade him,” Graziano explained. “But they refused to cut him, and they haven’t found a trade partner. That stands true for Cousins.
So he is, as you say, in limbo as Penix’s backup.” The Falcons, saddled with his cap hit regardless, play the long game. They see value in a proven insurance policy behind a rookie with an injury history. As Graziano put it, “Kirk’s not gonna rock the boat. That right there is as controversial as Kirk’s ever gonna get.” His attendance at mandatory minicamp, after skipping OTAs, signals acceptance of this awkward reality, for now.
London calling: The Penix/Cousins effect
While Cousins’s saga unfolds, a different kind of energy pulses through Flowery Branch—the burgeoning connection between rookie QB Michael Penix Jr. and third-year phenom Drake London. Skeptics might ask, ‘Why does everyone think Drake London is going to be so great with an unknown rookie QB?‘ The answer lies not just in potential, but in a tantalizing three-game sample at the end of 2024.
Playing with Cousins provided London stability—a high-floor target monster (100 catches, 1,271 yards, 9 TDs in ’24). But playing with Penix unlocked a stratospheric ceiling. London only had one 100-yard game with Cousins under center all season. With Penix? He cleared the century mark in two of his three starts.
The crescendo was a Week 18 masterpiece: 10 catches on 18 targets for 187 yards and 2 touchdowns. Penix didn’t just look London’s way; he made him the undeniable focal point. London drew a staggering 38.2% of the team’s targets when Penix was slinging it.
The ‘how’ is just as crucial as the ‘how much’. Penix plays quarterback like he’s got a permanent ‘Aggressive’ setting toggled on in Madden. His arm is a howitzer, and he’s not afraid to unleash it deep. Over his initial starts, Penix averaged a league-high 10.2 air yards per pass attempt. Nearly half his throws (47%) traveled 10+ yards downfield, and a fearless 18% sailed 20+ yards—the highest rate in the league during that stretch.
ATLANTA, GA Ð DECEMBER 22: Atlanta wide receiver Drake London 5 runs the ball after a reception during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA game between the New York Giants and the Atlanta Falcons on December 22nd, 2024 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire NFL: DEC 22 Giants at Falcons EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon241222043
This aggressive DNA directly fed London’s biggest strength: dominating downfield. London’s average target depth jumped from 10.3 yards with Cousins to 12.7 yards with Penix. Imagine London’s 6′4″ frame, 77 ¾″ wingspan, and contested-catch prowess finally getting fed a consistent diet of deep shots and back-shoulder lasers. That’s the Penix effect.
Sure, Penix brings a Jameis Winston-esque volatility—the potential for sublime dimes mixed with head-scratching picks. But for Drake London, that risk-reward equation tilts heavily towards reward. Penix’s willingness to push the rock vertically and trust his alpha receiver in tight coverage is the rocket fuel London’s superstar trajectory needed.
Their OTAs and minicamp connection, described by London as “fun” and growing “fairly easy,” hints at an offense ready to unleash its most dynamic weapon in ways last season only teased. Its awkward conclusion might define the Cousins era in Atlanta, but the Penix-to-London connection is the electric spark promising to light up the Benz for years to come. The limbo for one is the launchpad for the other.
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