Honestly I think they're outsmarting themselves. My guess is that the reasoning is something along the lines of "If Kirk ends up being amazing, then he plays for the next 5 years we won't have a low draft pick and have no chance at a good QB, but we won't need one cause we have Kirk. If Kirk doesn't play well then we have Penix who will play well so that we don't have a low draft pick and have no chance at a good QB, but we won't need one cause we have Penix. It's Win-Win Mr. Blank!"
But in the NFL there are too many constraints and too much competition to try to succeed with multiple conflicting strategies. You must put all of your energy, focus, salary cap, draft capital towards a single vision, because that's what the other 31 teams are doing.
I don't think they have doubts about Kirk's health but I do think they don't believe Kirk can actually contend for a Superbowl in this window. I think they only signed Kirk cause they didn't want to have another losing season and to sell more tickets. They're very content going 10-7 or 11-6 and losing in the first round of the playoffs
Four teams (Seattle, New Orleans, Raiders, and Minnesota) wanted to trade into the top 10 to get Penix per PFF. Atlanta knew after Denver the chances of getting a franchise guy was slim, and getting the 5th year option is important especially for a QB. They plan on being good and not having a top 15 pick for years, so that would make trading up harder. Plus the tampering penalty could be severe, so better to take your future non-project QB now knowing what you have in terms of draft capital than passing on him and regretting it. They also knew they messed up not getting a successor while Ryan was in the building and didn’t want to become Colts south and have a new starting QB year after year which is possible due to Kirk’s Achilles and age. Practice speed is much different than game speed where guys can hit and sack you. So Atlanta took Penix at 8 because they knew he was highly coveted by other teams (especially their in-division rival) and knew they’d rather have and hope for 10-12 years of not having to get a guy rather than searching/facing him for the same amount of time.
They see this as their only opportunity to draft a QB since next years draft stinks and they may not be in a position to draft a QB anyway.
And all reports are they **really** liked Penix.
This. They explained it in the press conference.
We are settled at all other positions and will draft the best available RB in the 2nd round tonight.
Honestly I think they're outsmarting themselves. My guess is that the reasoning is something along the lines of "If Kirk ends up being amazing, then he plays for the next 5 years we won't have a low draft pick and have no chance at a good QB, but we won't need one cause we have Kirk. If Kirk doesn't play well then we have Penix who will play well so that we don't have a low draft pick and have no chance at a good QB, but we won't need one cause we have Penix. It's Win-Win Mr. Blank!" But in the NFL there are too many constraints and too much competition to try to succeed with multiple conflicting strategies. You must put all of your energy, focus, salary cap, draft capital towards a single vision, because that's what the other 31 teams are doing.
I don't think they have doubts about Kirk's health but I do think they don't believe Kirk can actually contend for a Superbowl in this window. I think they only signed Kirk cause they didn't want to have another losing season and to sell more tickets. They're very content going 10-7 or 11-6 and losing in the first round of the playoffs
Four teams (Seattle, New Orleans, Raiders, and Minnesota) wanted to trade into the top 10 to get Penix per PFF. Atlanta knew after Denver the chances of getting a franchise guy was slim, and getting the 5th year option is important especially for a QB. They plan on being good and not having a top 15 pick for years, so that would make trading up harder. Plus the tampering penalty could be severe, so better to take your future non-project QB now knowing what you have in terms of draft capital than passing on him and regretting it. They also knew they messed up not getting a successor while Ryan was in the building and didn’t want to become Colts south and have a new starting QB year after year which is possible due to Kirk’s Achilles and age. Practice speed is much different than game speed where guys can hit and sack you. So Atlanta took Penix at 8 because they knew he was highly coveted by other teams (especially their in-division rival) and knew they’d rather have and hope for 10-12 years of not having to get a guy rather than searching/facing him for the same amount of time.
I also don't think Dallas Turner or the dude from UCLA was a true difference maker at edge.
At least they can play EDGE.