FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. did not play Saturday in the team’s preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, and he won’t suit up again Friday when the Falcons host the Jacksonville Jaguars in their final tune-up Friday, coach Raheem Morris said Monday.
Morris believes he and the coaching staff saw enough of Penix in the team’s joint practices and first preseason game against the Miami Dolphins two weeks ago. Penix went 9-of-16 for 104 yards in the game with no touchdowns or interceptions.
“You’ve seen the amount of reps that Michael’s been able to get [in practice] without really taking away from our starters and Kirk and it’s been awesome,” Morris said. “And I don’t see that varying at all in his developmental plan, even moving into the season. Because he’ll be able to have 100% of the reps versus our defense. And he’s getting I don’t know how many reps versus our starting defense now.”
Penix, the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft, won’t start in 2024. That job belongs to veteran Kirk Cousins, who Atlanta signed to a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason. Penix is considered the team’s quarterback of the future, though no one is quite sure when that future will commence.
Morris is not a big believer in key players seeing time in the preseason. The Falcons sat nearly 40 players Saturday and he said the team will look similar Friday against the Jaguars. Veteran quarterback Taylor Heinicke and undrafted rookie John Paddock got all the reps in Baltimore.
Penix will play, Morris said, in an intrateam scrimmage Wednesday during practice. The coach said it will simulate a game. The plan is to continue to develop Penix in practice situations.
“I’ll be able to get a nice look at him on Wednesday,” Morris said. “And [see] some of the problems and the things that we want to see if he can actually grasp and hold onto a little bit more, from our standpoint, which he’s done a great job of getting better, throughout this process.”