NFL Rumors: 5 contenders who should take a chance on Michael Penix Jr.
Where was Michael Penix Jr., a man of great talent but with a terrible injury history? Will I be able to land?
There are still three games left in the NFL season, but with 28 teams already slated, the NFL draft is closer than ever. The draft has become one of the most important events on the NFL calendar. Because he can give even the worst teams something they don’t often get: hope.
This year’s draft was interesting for a number of reasons, the most obvious being the presence of quarterback talent. Nothing can change the fortunes of a franchise faster than the man in the middle. Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jaden Daniels are all expected to come off the board right away, making it difficult for teams outside the top 10 to take a chance without sacrificing at least one prospect in the playmaking process. . As we’ve seen in these playoffs, franchise-changing quarterbacks can be acquired long after the first selections. See also the other 4 teams. Jared Goff took first overall, but his opponent, Mr. Brock Purdy was “safe.” Patrick Mahomes, arguably the best quarterback in the game, wasn’t drafted until the 10th pick (and as a Bears fan, please help me out if you can say the name Mitch Trubisky right now…). Lamar Jackson (Heisman Trophy winner and soon-to-be two-time MVP Lamar Jackson) falls to 32nd.
There are some quarterbacks with tremendous upside that most teams would take a chance on. JJ McCarthy, fresh off a national championship at Michigan, is one of them. These include Spencer Rattler, who stood out despite playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in the country, and Bo Nix, who became one of the most effective players in college football after transferring from Auburn in Oregon. But today I want to talk to you about one of the most exciting prospects in the entire draft: Michael Penix Jr.
Penix’s college career could be a movie in itself. Rated a three-star prospect by many recruiting sites, he signed with Indiana, a school without a football team. There, he led the Hoosiers to an unprecedented two seasons, but his time in Bloomington was marred by nagging injuries for four straight years, including a torn ACL on two separate occasions. Penix then moved to Washington and stayed healthy enough to establish himself as one of the most exciting players in the country. This year, he finished second in Heisman Trophy voting and led the Huskies to the College Football Playoff. There, he shined against Texas and held his team to one point against Michigan in the fourth quarter. The NFL needs better quarterback play. Penix’s injury history and age means he may not be viewed on the same level as Williams, May and Daniels, but that could be a reason for more competitive teams to swoop in and provide a home for the talented defenseman. Let’s take a look at five landing spots that would be perfect for Penix.
5) Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith revitalized his career in Seattle, leading the Seahawks to back-to-back 9-8 wins and a playoff appearance after taking over the starting job following the Russell Wilson trade. Smith has legitimately struggled, throwing for nearly 8,000 yards in two seasons and winning rookie of the year honors last year. “They sent me a letter and I didn’t answer” was one of the best moments of the 2022-2023 season. Now that Pete Carroll is no longer the head coach, you might wonder if the clock is ticking on Smith’s starting spot.
The Seahawks are one of two teams that have yet to fill a head coaching vacancy, but the new boss may have his own ideas about what the new team should look like. This could include drafting a new quarterback of the future.
Smith has two years left on the three-year deal he signed last year, and Seattle can’t get out of it without taking a big hit. That should tie him over as the Seahawks’ starter for now, but after that remains to be seen. The success of players like Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love, both first-round picks, will now encourage Seattle to draft a quarterback. Why not cheer on the man who made it happen, just a stone’s throw from Lumen Field? Landing Penix will energize Seahawks fans, many of whom have seen firsthand how talented he is. Penix could learn from Geno for a year or two and then acquire him in 2026.
