The overwhelming amount of passing production we’ve seen from Michael Penix Jr. over the final two years of his collegiate career has been nothing short of outstanding.
Despite his 9,544 passing yards and 67 touchdown passes during his time with the Washington Huskies, a lengthy injury history, lack of exceptional production in Indiana, and a limited athletic profile all make for a tricky projection to the professional ranks.
After operating a shotgun-heavy, wide-open offensive scheme in college, what teams are the best landing spots for Penix entering the NFL?
Which Teams Could Draft Michael Penix Jr.?
Seattle Seahawks Could Reunite Penix With Ryan Grubb
The Seattle Seahawks topping this list of ideal landing spots for Penix may come as a bit of a surprise, considering they have Geno Smith and Sam Howell on the roster.
Still, the familiarity with the offensive system can’t get any better than Penix operating the same system he excelled orchestrating over the last two seasons with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb at Washington, who was just named the Seahawks’ new OC back in February.
If playing in the same offensive scheme isn’t enough to convince you that this is a great landing spot for Penix, then perhaps the collection of pass catchers will do it. DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba could take the system that helped make Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan all big-time producers at Washington to another level.
Penix would also have the advantage of not being forced to start immediately. However, with his intimate knowledge and past production in this system, I could see a world where he becomes the starter at some point during his rookie year if Smith struggles again in 2024.
Minnesota Vikings Could Use a First-Rounder on Penix
It’s no secret that the Minnesota Vikings are in the market for a quarterback after losing Kirk Cousins, who has been the team’s starter since 2018, in free agency.
Sure, Minnesota signed veteran QB Sam Darnold to a one-year deal, but the team is sure to strongly consider using one of their two first-round selections at the quarterback position in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The dynamic talents on the outside — which include Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, and Jordan Addison — would undoubtedly make life easier for Penix and would pair well with his effectiveness in attacking opposing defenses vertically.
Some learning curve will be required with Penix being forced to operate under center and run more play-action in this scheme, but this still marks one of the best landing spots in the league for the former Husky.
Washington Commanders Could Target Penix in a Trade-Down
The odds of the Washington Commanders moving out of the No. 2 spot only to take a quarterback later in the first round of this draft is pretty unlikely. But you never know what the Vikings, Denver Broncos, or Las Vegas Raiders could throw at general manager Adam Peters to move him off of Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye.
If they do, Penix is potentially an ideal fit for Kliff Kingsbury’s offensive scheme.
The former Husky gets the ball out of his hands and isn’t afraid to push the ball vertically down the field outside of the numbers, which is precisely where Kyler Murray saw much of his success in this offense during Kingsbury’s time with the Arizona Cardinals.
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The Commanders have yet to find a quarterback who can consistently maximize Terry McLaurin’s full potential and unlock Jahan Dotson’s exceptional playmaking skills. Penix could be the ideal second-tier option in this draft class to orchestrate this offense at a high level.
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