Just like last season, Falcons fans were hoping the team could cash in on some of their veterans and expiring contracts at the trade deadline since the season is likely over — as far as the playoffs are concerned. However, just like 2019, things remained silent through the 4:00 PM deadline. The difference being this time, it didn’t seem like there were very many takers.
Last year, there were rumored to be suitors for Devonta Freeman, Vic Beasley, and Austin Hooper. Surprisingly, none of them were dealt, and all of them walked for free in the offseason. Who knows how true those rumors were and whether there were actually many interested teams in those candidates, but this season, it didn’t seem like any of the Falcons veterans drew much interest.
Alex Mack and Takk McKinley seemed to be the most enticing trade pieces. Both players carry some potential and are on expiring contracts that the Falcons will likely not retain for the 2021 season. However, it didn’t appear like any team was seriously willing to part with anything more than a sixth-round pick for either. According to Mike Garafalo of The NFL Network, Atlanta was looking for a fourth-rounder in return for McKinley, and it’s no surprise they weren’t able to find one, especially given his injury history and the market this season.
From NFL Now on @nflnetwork: The #Falcons were looking for a fourth-round pick in exchange for Takk McKinley, who announced last night he's not going anywhere. pic.twitter.com/Me5buYYip2
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) November 3, 2020
Of course, if you missed it, you should have already known last night that McKinley wasn’t going anywhere. He announced it himself on Twitter.
The @AtlantaFalcons aren’t trading me. They have declined a handful of offers.
— Takkarist McKinley (@Takk) November 2, 2020
So if there were any chance that the Falcons were able to find a taker on Thursday, it was probably wiped away by McKinley’s immaturity, which has been a question mark ever since the day he was drafted.
This isn’t much of a shock at the end of the day, and Falcons fans shouldn’t be too upset. They didn’t have many valuable players available for trade, and a couple of sixth or seventh-round picks aren’t going to push the needle very much. They are probably better off staying at full strength, seeing if they can build some chemistry and perhaps even make a miraculous run in the second half of the season.
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