Since Terry Fontenot took over for Thomas Dimitroff, the Falcons have been acting haphazardly and without a clear plan.
Atlanta made Kyle Pitts the highest-drafted tight end in league history, signaling their intent to compete as Matt Ryan neared the end of his career and had no salary cap flexibility.
A 7-10 finish was likely better than expected, giving the fan base hope. Then, during the Fontenot-Smith regime’s second offseason, trouble struck. Pursuing Deshaun Watson alienated a portion of the fan base, especially the greatest Falcon of all time, Matt Ryan.
The outcome: Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder. It was uninspiring, but the Falcons selected another pass catcher in the first round, and a vision began to emerge. Perhaps the team would try to get by with an average signal caller and a strong supporting cast.
That notion was reinforced last season, when the Falcons selected a third-straight skill player in the top 10. They were able to strengthen the defense in free agency, putting this roster in a position to compete.
Quarterback play eventually held the Falcons back and cost Arthur Smith his job. Whoever took over would be tasked with addressing the single most pressing roster issue, which Raheem Morris immediately acknowledged.
The Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to the largest free agent contract of the offseason, indicating an adult presence in the building and a planned strategy.
Atlanta finally had a capable signal caller to complement their three first-round skill players. The Falcons were clearly going all-in, right?
That was the initial thought process. Cousins made the Falcons the odds-on favorite to win the NFC South, and with another top-10 draft pick to bolster the defense or provide another weapon for the offense, there was hope they could compete in a wide open conference.
The Falcons then signaled that they are not fully committed to winning in 2024 by selecting Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick. However, they spent a lot of money on Jessie Bates, David Onyemata, and Kaden Elliss last year.
So, Terry Fontenot, what the hell is your plan? Is the Falcons’ general manager confident that Cousins alone will be enough to put them over the top?
I have no idea what they are doing. The Falcons did not borrow money from future years through restructures and take their franchise quarterback of the future, but instead gave Kirk Cousins $100 million in guarantees.
This franchise makes many one-foot-in, one-foot-out moves. At this point, they are unable to maximize Cousins’ or Penix’s contracts.
I understand the vision and respect the conviction behind selecting Michael Penix, but if you believe so strongly in Penix, why sign the most expensive quarterback on the free agent market?
The Falcons cannot have their cake and eat it too.
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