On Thursday morning, the Atlanta Falcons looked like they could be one of the biggest winners of the offseason. An excellent free agency mixed with some pristine draft capital was going to make like very difficult for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the race for the NFC South title.
By the time NFL Draft weekend was over, the Falcons were in shambles and became a laughing-stock that somehow keeps getting funnier.
Instead of using the No. 8 pick in the draft to select to add the best defensive player in the class, the Falcons made the jaw-dropping decision to draft Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., a move that has already aged poorly.
Just like that, Atlanta's title hopes have taken a small step back.
Buccaneers got bailed out by Falcons drafting Michael Penix Jr.
This decision was immediately and widely hated on by every analyst and fan in the league that wasn't a supporter of the Buccaneers, Saints, or Panthers. The jokes just write themselves.
Not only did the Falcons prevent themselves from finding a player that could be plug-and-play at almost any position with dozens of contributors on the board that could help with a Super Bowl push in 2024, but they didn't even ensure anything with their future either. Kirk Cousins is on the books in Atlanta for a staggering sum through the 2027 season. That means Penix, assuming everything works out, isn't even in line to start until 2028.
Spending an eighth-overall pick on a guy that won't start outside of catostrophic injuries elsewhere until 2028 is an insane decision during a Super Bowl window.
This is great news for the Buccaneers. Sure, the Falcons are still going to be a much better team than they were in 2023, but this is sure to take some of the winds out of the hype sails.
Assuming Jason Licht and his team keep doing what they do in the draft, the Buccaneers should still have plenty of momentum in their favor to keep the lead in the division.
What a terrible, terrible, hilarious mistake by Atlanta. Let's hope they keep them coming.