Many expected the preseason to be a showcase for Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr., especially given the rookie isn't expected to see the field during the regular season.
Penix is viewed as NFL-ready at 24. But with Kirk Cousins ahead of him on the depth chart in Atlanta, the preseason could have been the time for the Washington product and No. 8 overall pick to prove himself for the Falcons.
Penix showed flashes in his preseason debut, finishing 9-of-16 for 104 yards in a loss to the Dolphins. However, he wasn't able to build on that performance against the Ravens and won't get the chance to prove himself against the Jaguars, either.
Here's what you need to know about why Penix is on the sidelines for the Falcons' preseason finale.
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Is Michael Penix Jr. injured?
Penix is not known to be dealing with an injury. Instead, Falcons coach Raheem Morris opted to sit him because he believes the rookie proved all he needed to prove in his preseason debut.
"Last week we wanted to get him out there and get a feel for what he was in a live game, which we kind of already knew," Morris told reporters after sitting Penix out of Atlanta's second preseason game.
Morris indicated the Falcons are looking to protect Penix from injury, explaining, "Now we had the chance to mitigate him, and in practice, you know, we give him a bunch of live stuff in practice that you do everything that you would do in a game other than get hit."
It's very common for teams to sit starting quarterbacks out of the preseason to prevent injury. It's less common for a team to sit both a starter and a backup. The Falcons aren't necessarily in an ordinary situation, though.
Cousins is healthy, but he's also 36 and less than 10 months removed from tearing his Achilles. It's become increasingly rare for just one quarterback to start for a team over the course of an entire season, and the Falcons seem to be aware Penix could find his way into regular season action this year even if Cousins is the undisputed starter.
The Jets are deploying a similar strategy in the preseason with 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers as their starter coming off a torn Achilles. Backup Tyrod Taylor attempted just two passes in New York's preseason opener and didn't play at all in the team's second game.
Still, Taylor is a veteran, so the Jets know what they're getting from him. Penix is a rookie, and rookies have more to prove in the preseason. At the same time, he's a rookie with a lengthy injury history. The Falcons appear content to let Cousins and Penix prepare for the season without any more game action, avoiding major injury risks.
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Falcons QB depth chart
1. Kirk Cousins
The Falcons have insisted that Cousins is under no threat from Penix this season, and the four-year, $180 million contract he signed in March supports that idea. The selection of Penix could very well put pressure on Cousins if the season starts to go awry, especially with the Falcons having realistic hopes of winning the NFC South, but there is no competition in Atlanta at this point.
2. Michael Penix Jr.
Teams sometimes force even a highly-drafted rookie quarterback to start in the No. 3 spot on the depth chart and work his way up. But the Falcons' decision to sit Penix out of their final two preseason games serves as confirmation that he is Cousins' direct backup.
Penix isn't expected to start this season unless Cousins is unable to play, but that won't stop whispers about a change from surfacing if the veteran isn't playing up to his hefty salary.
3. Taylor Heinicke
Heinicke had an ugly preseason debut, finishing 4-of-11 for just 11 yards and an interception. As far as No. 3 quarterbacks go, however, Heinicke is a fine option to have.
The 31-year-old replaced Desmond Ridder for a stretch last season but went just 1-3 as the Falcons' starter. He was 12-12-1 as a starter before 2023 and threw 33 touchdowns to 21 interceptions during his time with Washington, so Atlanta likely has no qualms about Heinicke in an emergency quarterback role.
4. John Paddock
Nathan Rourke held the No. 4 QB role in the Falcons' preseason opener, but he struggled and was released after just 10 days with Atlanta. Replacing him is John Paddock, an undrafted rookie who saw action in seven games at Illinois last season after a year as Kent State's starter.
Paddock isn't likely to survive final roster cuts at the end of training camp, but he's spent the offseason gaining experience in OC Zac Robinson's offense and will see plenty of run in the Falcons' final preseason contest with both Cousins and Penix out.