Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix Jr. runs a passing drill as quarterbacks coach T.J. Yates looks on during a rookie minicamp practice on Friday in Flowery Branch, Ga. John Bazemore/Associated Press
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Michael Penix Jr. insists he’ll have no difficulty adjusting to his role as the backup to new Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Before taking the field on Friday for rookie minicamp, Penix was greeted by Cousins at the team’s practice facility. Others have speculated there could be potential for friction between Penix, the No. 8 overall pick in last month’s NFL draft, and Cousins, who about one month earlier signed with Atlanta to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed.
“He said ‘What’s up, man?’” said Penix of Cousins. “He said he was happy to see me, happy to have me here. I just told him I can’t wait to work with him.”
Added Penix: “We’re on the same team. It’s not hard to approach that relationship. We’ve got the same goals. That’s to win football games. … It’s definitely going to be great. I’m super blessed to be able to be right here in this position with a veteran in front of me, just learning from him and going about my business each and every day and just trying to find ways to improve and get to where he is, multiple years in the league.”
The two quarterbacks join first-year coach Raheem Morris, who said the primary objective for his first rookie camp was to help the newcomers become acclimated.
“I told the rookies together the best way of going about this is being your best self … just go out there and be yourself,” Morris said. “Really, not just Penix but all of those guys.”
BEARS: Caleb Williams is Chicago’s starting quarterback. Just in case there was a shred of doubt the No. 1 overall draft pick is the team’s No. 1 QB, Coach Matt Eberflus erased it on Friday.
“No conversation. He’s the starter,” he said.
Eberflus’ comment was hardly a surprise considering the Bears have been all in on Williams since the early stages of the draft process. They made their intentions clear when they traded Justin Fields to Pittsburgh in March.
GIANTS: First-round draft pick Malik Nabers of LSU has signed with New York.
The Giants announced the signing of the dynamic wide receiver on Friday as rookies and free agents reported for a minicamp. The sixth pick in the draft last month, Nabers got a four-year, $29.1 million deal that includes an $18 million signing bonus.
• Two-time Super Bowl winner Chris Snee is returning to the Giants as a senior scout in the personnel department.
General Manager Joe Schoen announced the hiring Friday, along with two promotions. Nick La Testa moved from pro scout to assistant director of pro scouting, and Charles Tisch went from a football operations assistant to the manager of football administration.
Snee, a guard who was a four-time Pro Bowl pick and a member of the franchise’s Ring of Honor, will be involved in both college and pro scouting.
NABERS-DANIELS BET CALLED OFF: Jayden Daniels feels his biggest challenge after being drafted second by Washington to become the team’s franchise quarterback is learning how to be a pro, but he learned an important lesson before throwing his first NFL pass.
Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, and former LSU teammate Malik Nabers, now a receiver with the division-rival New York Giants taken four picks later, said they called off their $10,000 bet over who would be offensive rookie of the year.
“We were uneducated on the gambling policy in the NFL,” Daniels said. “We learned about it last night. Me and him had a conversation, and we canceled the bet. Obviously we don’t want to get in trouble or anything.”
Word of the wager emerged from recent podcast appearances the players made. Nabers first mentioned it, then Daniels – after saying Nabers wasn’t supposed to talk about it – confirmed.
CARDINALS: Arizona agreed to terms on a one-year deal with receiver Zay Jones, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement.
The 29-year-old played the last two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars and has also spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders and Buffalo Bills. Jones had his best NFL season in 2022, catching 82 passes for 823 yards and five touchdowns. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder was a second-round pick out of East Carolina in 2017 by the Bills.
The Jaguars released Jones in May after the draft.
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