NFL Notes: Raheem Morris on Cousins and Penix, Book Your Trip to Green Bay Now, More (2024)

NFL Notes — Raheem Morris spoke at length with The Athletic’s Robert Mays recently. And, of course, he was asked about the decision to sign Kirk Cousins to a massive free-agent deal and then draft Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall selection a month later.

Raheem Morris on Kirk Cousins: “Kirk gives us a chance to win a championship. Let’s not even put it any other way.”

Raheem Morris, who returns to the Falcons as a head coach without the interim tag, had this to say about his starting quarterback:

“Kirk gives us a chance to win a championship. Let’s not even put it any other way. When you talk about winning this division, once you get in, anything can happen—Kirk’s in his 12th year. And if we were to have drafted Kirk in Year One in 2012, and he had been an Atlanta Falcon up until this point, we’d be looking for somebody to come in and be ready to be the heir apparent and take over the reins. Hopefully, getting Kirk here, we’re not going to be in any position to pick a quarterback. You’re sitting there with the eighth pick; you evaluate the quarterbacks before and after free agency.

Morris would later expand to discussing the team’s usage of the No. 8 pick on Michael Penix Jr.:

“You evaluate all the positions, and you’re sitting there at [no. 8], and the guy you got very high on your board is staring at you. With a chance to pick them. A guy that you believe in. A guy that’s got a lot of similar traits to the guy that you’re going to know will lead you this year and do the things that he’s done. Guy that has a cannon of an arm. A processor. Humble. Fits your ethos. Does everything the right way. A guy that you can bring in here and sit behind a guy for a couple of years, no matter how long it takes. And say, here’s our heir apparent. Let’s go to work.

(Ed. Note: It is still absolutely wild to me that the Falcons, who were apparently dead set on drafting Penix, turned down a future 4th-round pick from the Bears —who were trying to move up to make sure they’d get wide receiver Rome Odunze. But, hey, I’ll take it! -Luis)

“Now, did it shock everybody, catch you by surprise because of the amount of investment that you put into the room? Yes. Is it the most important position potentially arguably in sports? No doubt. And we just felt like if we can fix that room and we can fix that thing short-term, we can fix it long-term.”

Morris also discussed his time with the Los Angeles Rams, plans for his return to the Atlanta Falcons, what he learned from his first stint as an NFL head coach, and how he hopes to translate that into his second chance.

Listen:

Speaking of Kirk Cousins and the Falcons, Drake London Had Some Things to Say …

Falcons wide receiver Drake London has been pretty good in his first two NFL seasons, but he believes he can take the next step in his career with Kirk Cousins under center in Atlanta.

“I will say it does feel differenthaving Kirk here,” London said, via SiriusXM NFL. He’s a very veteran guy who’s been here — now going into his 13th year. So to learn from him is a really cool thing.”

“He takes that very, very seriously. And then he’s seen a lot of pictures in his day playing football. So to be able to go out there and key those and help us see it with I’m is a huge thing, too. So I think that’s what I’ve learned the most.

.@AtlantaFalcons WR @DrakeLondon_ discussed Kirk Cousins in Atlanta and what he can learn from the veteran quarterback…

📻 https://t.co/u2cRkasH7n#Falcons | #RiseUp pic.twitter.com/BBQ7fI6T9E— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) June 18, 2024

London has 141 receptions for 1,771 yards and six touchdowns in two seasons, with Atlanta with sub-par quarterbacks operating the offense. His belief that Cousins will make him better is probably pretty accurate.

If You Want to Attend the 2025 NFL Draft, You Should Probably Make Your Travel Plans Now

The NFL Draft is as popular as ever, and the desire to attend the event in person is at an all-time high. So, if you want to attend the event next spring in Green Bay, you should probably make your travel plans soon.

According to Jeff Bollier of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, hotel rooms in the Green Bay area during the event are almost entirely booked, and Airbnb prices are skyrocketing. One three-bedroom home across Lombardi Avenue from Lambeau Field is charging nearly $17,900 per night. Yes, per night! With fees added, it would cost you $142,875.

YIKES!

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