The Atlanta Falcons have signed Michael Penix Jr. as their starting quarterback for the remainder of the 2024 season.

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, unless Penix gets injured, he will remain at the top of the rankings.

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris announced Tuesday that Penix will replace Kirk Cousins ​​as the starting forward.

Although this suggested that Penix was tied to the starting job for the remainder of the season, Morris did leave some wiggle room in his press conference on Wednesday.

“I don’t think anything in the National Football League will ever last, but right now Michael Penix is ​​our quarterback,” Morris said. “We will support him and give him the maximum support he needs.”

While it’s not uncommon for coaches to avoid speaking in absolutes because things can change quickly in the NFL, it wouldn’t make sense for the Falcons to make this move to a rookie without fully committing themselves to engage for him.

It would be especially strange if they were hanging on to him with just three games left in the regular season. Another twist to the situation is that ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday that Cousins ​​is expected to be released before his $10 million roster bonus takes effect on March 17.

The squad bonus is valid for the 2026 season, but takes effect on the fifth day of the 2025 league year and is also guaranteed against injuries. So if Cousins ​​​​suffers a serious injury before the end of this season, he would not be entitled to this money no matter what.

The Falcons could still make the playoffs as they are just one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South and hold the tiebreaker by winning both head-to-head meetings, but the top priority now has to be seeing what Penix does can think of 2025 like you do.

Penix, the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft, will make his first career start Sunday against the New York Giants. He is 3 of 5 for 38 yards in two games and is playing cleanup duty in the fourth quarter this season.