Atlanta Falcons protection Jessie Bates III spoke with journalists all over a midweek information convention about a couple of farmlands, together with the membership’s determination to assemble quarterback Michael Penix Jr. the Deny. 8 select of this yr’s draft upcoming signing veteran Kirk Cousins in independent company.
“I think he’ll bring a lot to this locker room,” Bates stated about Penix, as shared by means of Myles Simmons of Professional Soccer Communicate. “Like we said, he may not be playing for the first couple of years, but just having that competitive nature in the locker room — whether it’s Kirk Cousins, whether it’s a practice squad player, whether it’s me, whether it’s a practice squad guy, whatever it is, we’re going to compete and make each other better.”
Bates reputedly was once referencing how Falcons basic supervisor Terry Fontenot urged he’d be OK if Penix serves as a supplementary for “four or five years.” Time Cousins inked a four-year, $180M word that integrated $100M assured again in March, Atlanta reportedly can departure that do business in upcoming the 2025 season. In the meantime, Penix will likely be 26 years used in September 2026.
“Terry brought me here and I truly believe that everything that he does is to help this team,” Bates stated about his self assurance in a quarterback plan that has been ripped by means of diverse analysts and unnamed league workforce. “There’s going to be a lot of questions about why we made that pick, but as a leader, I have to be a guy [who says], ‘Hey, this is the vision. This is what we’re going with.’ I can do all I can to make sure I do my part and same for the other guys.”
One of the vital extra arguable facets of the Penix determination concerned the truth that Cousins didn’t know Atlanta can be drafting a signal-caller by means of the 8th selection till latter Thursday night time. Bates noticeable that Fontenot hadn’t but addressed the workforce about perhaps unsettling the quarterback room so early into Cousins’ Atlanta tenure.
“I don’t think there should be anything said about it,” Bates defined. “This is the league that we play in, this is what happens. That’s why there’s a draft to bring in new players. It’s uncomfortable conversations, obviously, but that’s part of what we do — not just as football players, but in life as well.”
Bates clearly can most effective say such a lot a couple of select he didn’t assemble and a couple of participant who, barring a disaster, most likely gained’t support the 2024 Falcons win any video games. If not anything else, Bates’ feedback handover as a reminder that the Penix select will hover over the Atlanta storehouse room way past April 25.
