With the new NFL season starting in September, fans are eager to see who the starting QB for the Falcons will be.

Since 2021, the Atlanta Falcons have struggled to find a legit quarterback. The situation reached a point where it became an on-going joke amongst NFL fans, who would regularly throw jabs at Falcons supporters about it. Now, though, it seems as though the Falcons have finally turned a corner heading into the 2024 NFL season, but there's still speculation surrounding who QB1 will be for the Falcons come September and (most importantly) whether or not they'll perform to the right level. And with Falcons HC Raheem Morrison recently stating that "we're a quarterback away" from competing, scrutiny surrounding the QB position is going to be intense throughout the entire season.

Kirk Cousins

Provided Kirk Cousins can remain injury-free, he'll be the starting QB for the Falcons in September. This follows the official signing of Cousins back in March, when he left the Vikings to sign a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons. Reportedly, the reason Cousins left was because (financially) the deal was too good to turn down and speculation surrounding the Vikings' draft plans had unsettled him. Therefore, he's now officially No. 18 for the Falcons and currently taking part in the team's offseason training as he battles back from a torn Achilles suffered against the Green Bay Packers in 2023 last season.

To the surprise of supporters, the Falcons have also decided to sign 24-year-old quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who was their No. 8 pick during the 2024 draft. The understanding is that Penix Jr. will be the future long-term replacement for Cousins once he officially retires from the NFL. Or, if Cousins is sidelined again, Penix, Jr. will be more than capable of stepping in. What's interesting, though, is that Penix Jr. is a serious young talent, so an injury-free Cousins could cause Penix's gametime to be limited throughout the season, which Falcons fans won't be happy about.

Naturally, because Kirk Cousins is now an NFL veteran and recently struggled with injury problems, doubts are popping up about whether he's truly up to the task. After all, the Falcons have been desperate for a QB for almost half a decade now, so you could argue that Cousins should have joined a couple of years ago. Could it be a case of better late than never? Yes. But it could also be a case of the ship has sailed when it comes to what Cousins can still offer. If he struggles to find form, then it will go down as one of the biggest NFL flop signings ever based on the $180 million contract that Cousins is currently under.

Nobody knows for sure what will happen, but it's fair to say that an injury-free Cousins could definitely still bring something to the table and allow Atlanta's boundless attacking talent to finally flourish with him next to them. And if it doesn't work out, Penix, Jr. will be ready and waiting to take the baton from Cousins over the coming seasons.

2024 Atlanta Falcons Predictions

There are extremely high expectations surrounding the Falcons for the 2024 NFL season. According to Gamble-USA, most sportsbooks currently have the Falcons as the 12th-ranked team to win the Super Bowl at +2400, so they could be worth an ambitious bet if you're a Falcons fan. Unfortunately, the Falcons have still yet to win a Super Bowl, having previously made the finals in 1998 (Super Bowl XXXIII) and 2017 (Super Bowl LI), so fans are desperate to see them finally do it.

Anything is possible, especially with new coach Raheem Morris at the helm, but the favorites for the Super Bowl next season will definitely remain the Kansas City Chiefs (+600) and San Francisco 49ers (+600), both of which you can easily bet on, too.

Summary

The Falcons will look to hit the ground running next season with new quarterback Kirk Cousins on the roster. Anticipation levels are through the ceiling, especially in the aftermath of a disappointing 2023 NFL season for the Falcons, which saw them finish 7-10 and ultimately fail to make the playoffs for the sixth season in a row. Falcons fans should strap tight, because it's going to be an interesting ride -- that's for certain.