Falcons mess partly the media's making

First, the Falcons should absolutely have consulted Cousins before drafting Penix. That was just plain dumb.

However, there is nothing wrong with the actual pick. There is something wrong (and was wrong at the time it happened) with the media's portrayal of Kirk Cousins as the second coming of Tom Brady. When that happened, most everyone on the press handed the division to Atlanta and pretty much declared them the Super Bowl favorites in the NFC.

Maybe the Falcons see Cousins as he is: a middle of the pack ageing NFL starter with injury issues. An improvement to be sure, but Mahomes he is not. Take away the age and the injury, he is Derek Carr. Overpaid as well but that's the QB market these days. But he is not the long term answer, and Penix was there for the taking. He can sit and learn for a few years.

It makes sense if you drop the notion of Kirk Cousins as football messiah.