FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank says having new names atop the quarterback depth chart is among the reasons he is “more optimistic than I've been in several years” about his team's outlook.
Blank, 81, has owned the Falcons since 2002, and he acknowledged Tuesday the team's six consecutive losing seasons since its most recent playoff appearance in 2017 have been difficult.
Blank said a factor in the downturn was the difficulty in replacing quarterback Matt Ryan. Based on that painful experience, Blank disregards those who criticized the team making Michael Penix the No. 8 overall pick in this year's NFL draft months after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million guaranteed.
“We’ve seen that movie when we didn’t have a franchise quarterback, and we didn’t want to repeat that again,” Blank said of the recent losing seasons with Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder, Taylor Heinicke and others taking turns leading the offense.
Cousins, who will be 36 when the season opens, is returning from a torn right Achilles tendon but has not been limited in training camp.
Cousins, the former Minnesota Vikings starter, is firmly entrenched as the starter. Even so, Blank supported the decision of general manager Terry Fontenot and first-year coach Raheem Morris to seize the opportunity to draft Penix as the future starter — despite second-guessing from observers.
“Thank heavens we don’t always listen to the league, thank heavens we don’t always listen to the media,” Blank said.
“Kirk Cousins is our franchise quarterback, he is our starting quarterback. And he seems to be doing great ... so we couldn’t be happier with that situation. But, you know, age does kind of creep up. I can speak for myself personally on that a little bit.”
Blank said Fontenot and Morris advised Cousins of plans to draft another quarterback but added even the Falcons were surprised to find Penix available at No. 8.
Blank said he hopes Cousins still has “three to four great years in front of him, maybe more than that. ... But we also know that at some point there will be a point that we will need a transition. We want to make sure we do that.”
Blank said the Falcons did not try to follow the “Green Bay model.” The Packers drafted Jordan Love in the first round in 2020 when veteran Aaron Rodgers would be with the team for three more seasons. Blank says critics of the selection of Love have been silenced.
“Today, you know, you couldn’t find a phone number in the zip code of Green Bay where they don't click their heels and jump for joy they have Jordan Love,” Blank said before adding that Love recently agreed to a $220 million, four-year contract extension.
Cousins was viewed by some as the missing piece in an offense led by such recent first-round draft picks as running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts. London said Tuesday he believes the offense “is going to exceed a lot of people’s expectations. And I just can’t wait for us to showcase it.”
Blank said he is “definitely optimistic” after the team's 2024 outlook “and I have reason to feel that way.”
“My hope is that we’ll be in the playoffs, and I think that we will be very competitive this year,” he said. “But, you know, you’ve got to play the schedule. You got to play the teams and make it happen.”
NOTES: The Falcons signed WRs Jesse Matthews and James Washington. Washington, 28, played for Dallas in 2022 after starting in 25 games in four seasons with Pittsburgh. OL Tyler Vrabel, the son of former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel, was placed on the reserve/retired list. Rookie WR Isaiah Wooden was released. ... The team announced season tickets have sold out for the 2024 season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The sellout included what the team said was a record 95% renewal rate from 2023 season-ticket holders. ... The team's first practice in pads included a brief scuffle between LG Matthew Bergeron and OLB Milo Eifler.
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