The Falcons might be in a tight spot this offseason, depending on how the quarterback market shakes out.
Regardless of who got the gig, Atlanta’s new head coach would be tasked with figuring out the future plans. Raheem Morris, Bill Belichick and everyone in between would’ve had to upgrade the Falcons quarterback position.
A few months ago, it seemed the options would be quite robust. Several intriguing free agent options seemed attainable, but Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield very well could sign extensions with their respective teams.
The trade market offered a talented, yet underachieving option in Justin Fields, and that still seems like a possibility. However, his contract, lack of development, and Terry Fontenot passing on him during the 2021 NFL Draft don’t make it too likely.
Then again, this is the same team that passed over Raheem Morris three years and hired him. It would only make sense for the Falcons to do the same with Fields.
Armed with an arsenal of draft picks, it seemed like the Falcons would be able to trade up in the draft, shelling out multiple first-round picks to a team like the Cardinals or Chargers, who already had a franchise quarterback, to secure the rights to draft one of Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. Worse comes to worse, the Falcons could draft Jayden Daniels if the other two were gone.
Now, it seems unlikely any of that comes to fruition. The Falcons sit behind several quarterback-needy teams, including the first three draft spots. It could very well go quarterback, quarterback, quarterback, leaving Fontenot and Morris to choose from less-than-ideal options… but there might be hope.
On the Move The Sticks podcast, Lance Zierlein relayed a conversation he had with an NFL evaluator that could keep Falcons fans’ dreams alive.
“I talked to an NFL guy today who thinks that (Drake) Maye could be the guy who falls in this draft. He (NFL evaluator) compared him to (Will) Levis,” he told Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks.
Zierlein did follow up by saying he doesn’t think that’s going to happen, and I agree. Maye is an absolute star in the making and is likely going to Chicago or Washington. However, on the off chance he falls, the Falcons should mountains to grab him. Mortgaging three first-rounders and a guy like A.J. Terrell or Kyle Pitts should get the conversation going.
More than likely, Jayden Daniels would be the one to slide down draft boards. In that case, I’d still love the Falcons to trade up to grab the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.
The Falcons aren’t in a great spot, so Terry Fontenot will have to get creative, which may mean double-dipping in the quarterback market this offseason.
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