The Falcons made the biggest splash on the first day of NFL free agency, inking Kirk Cousins to a massive four-year contract. It was the biggest domino of the entire offseason, and it gives us a better idea of what the Falcons plan is moving forward. This is a team trying to win now, and the rest of their moves in free agency and the draft should reflect that.
By now, Falcons fans should know Terry Fontenot’s plan when it comes to the NFL Draft — best player available. Expect him to patch up the Falcons’ most pressing needs as best as possible in free agency, which will allow him to focus on taking the most talented prospect next month. In PFF’s latest mock draft, that player is Dallas Turner out of Alabama.
PICK 8: ATLANTA FALCONS: EDGE DALLAS TURNER, ALABAMA
There are loud whispers that Kirk Cousins could wind up in Atlanta, which presumably takes the Falcons out of the first-round quarterback discussion. Instead, they’ll add a talented pass rusher. It’s a tough decision as to which edge rusher they prefer, but if Raheem Morris leans toward standup rushers like he did in Los Angeles, Turner could be the choice over someone like Jared Verse based on scheme fit.
Turner could easily be the best player available when the Falcons are on the clock, and they have a desperate need for a #1 pass rusher. Fixing that issue should be at the top of the list of priorities, especially now that they know who will be under center in 2024.
Had the Falcons not landed Kirk Cousins, we might be having a different conversation. They had to add a quarterback, and someone like J.J. McCarthy could have been in play with the 8th pick. Now, they can focus on making this roster as competitive as possible in the short term as they aim to make some noise in the NFC with Cousins under center.
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Photographer: Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire
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