When it comes to the Falcons, fans should expect the unexpected. Whether it be pursuing Deshaun Watson or Calvin Ridley’s suspension, the team just hasn’t been the most reliable source of enjoyment for fans. Well, you can add one more possible blunder to their resumé — trading for Jimmy Garoppolo.
One more team possibly in the Jimmy Garoppolo market. From long-time #NFL personnel evaluator this morning …
"Don't be surprised if the #Falcons jump in. You aren't going to know about Desmond Ridder for two or three years, at best, and they can't afford to wait that long."
— Matt Lombardo (@MattLombardoNFL) July 21, 2022
This doesn’t make sense on any level whatsoever. I couldn’t be more confused by Lombardo’s reporting, and to make matters even less clear, he went on to say the Falcons should rebuild, play Ridder to see if he’s the answer at quarterback, and set up the roster for the guy next spring.
I agree. If you are going to rebuild, which the #Falcons absolutely should, then playing Ridder is absolutely the move. If he’s not the guy, your roster is set up to get THE guy next spring. #NFL https://t.co/ZTehWe4S84
— Matt Lombardo (@MattLombardoNFL) July 21, 2022
Good lord, I don’t even know where to start with this.
First, the Falcons are rebuilding. They traded away bloated contracts inherited from the former regime, with Deion Jones being the lone exception. Matt Ryan is gone, Julio Jones is gone, and Atlanta has absorbed a record-setting amount of dead money in the process. The roster is barren of talent.
Secondly, the Falcons can’t wait on Ridder? If there’s one thing the club has, it’s time. They’re set to have $100+ million in money to spend in free agency next offseason with an incredibly young core of players.
This entire premise of the report is just mind-boggling. The Falcons did pursue Deshaun Watson with a roster that wasn’t ready to compete, but he’s the type of player that free agents will take below-market deals to play with; Jimmy G isn’t.
The organization isn’t one quarterback away from seriously competing in the postseason. That isn’t to say they were wrong to pursue a signal caller of Watson’s caliber — the off-the-field issues are another thing. If a club has the opportunity to trade for a franchise quarterback, they should exhaust all resources; again, Garoppolo isn’t that kind of player.
The Falcons are rebuilding as they prepare to evaluate Desmond Ridder as the team’s long-term answer at quarterback. I don’t see Jimmy G fitting in this scenario. However, Atlanta’s front office and coaching staff have seemingly been making it up as they go, so who knows with this team. They could be interested in Garoppolo; it wouldn’t be the most shocking thing in the world, but it doesn’t make sense at all. Even with him, the Falcons won’t come close to making the playoffs.
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