Photo of Terry Fontenot and Michael Penix Jr. speaking into micsTerry Fontenot and Michael Penix Jr. (Photos via Getty Images)

Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot has made a comment about quarterback Michael Penix Jr. that won’t leave the player optimistic about his future with the team.

The Falcons picked Penix No. 8 overall on Thursday night, pulling off the most shocking move of the draft and surprising everyone, not least Kirk Cousins.

Fontenot has explained that Cousins will be the starter moving forward, with Penix the man for the future.

“Kirk Cousins is our quarterback,” he said in a team video (H/T ProFootballTalk.com). “We’re very excited about Kirk. We’re very excited about this team. Michael Penix is . . . we’re talking about the future. You look at the future. You look at the big picture. We are very excited about that quarterback room, and again, Kirk is our quarterback. But adding Michael Penix is thinking about the future.”

Doesn’t sound all that bad if you’re Penix. But, according to quotes highlighted by Falcons beat reporter Marc Raimondi, Fontenot wants the rookie to sit on the bench for the next four or five years.

“If you believe in a quarterback, you have to take him. And if he sits for four or five years, that’s a great problem because we’re doing so well at that position,” the GM said. “So, it’s as simple as, if you see a guy you believe in at that position, you have to take him.“

The Falcons Can’t Possibly Expect Michael Penix Jr. To Sit Out For That Long

The Falcons reckon they’ll be in a great position to succeed now and in the future, but Penix will turn 24 next month. Imagine starting your career as a QB at 28 or 29 after entering the NFL via the first round, in the top 10 at that.

Penix sitting behind Cousins and learning from him for one or two seasons would be understandable, but four or five years would be ridiculous.