The Falcons are going to be in the market for a quarterback this offseason, and it didn’t matter who they hired as head coach.
Morris bringing over Zac Robinson from Los Angeles to be his offensive coordinator in Atlanta doesn’t change anything either. I see some Falcons fans bringing about the idea of the former Rams quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator reviving Desmond Ridder’s career. I pray for you if you’re still holding out hope the third-round pick can be the franchise quarterback.
Contrary to popular belief, the Falcons don’t have a robust pool of options to fill the position. The free agent and trade markets have no options for the team if they want to win in 2024 while also finding a long-term answer.
Justin Fields may be the answer to the second part of that, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to will the Falcons to success immediately. However, Kirk Cousins would be able to maximize the Falcons’ chances of winning right now, but he’s surely not going to stick around for the next decade at 36 years old.
With the expectation that Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels will go in the first three draft picks, there isn’t a prospect that satisfies the immediate and long-term needs of the Falcons.
If Arthur Blank wants both, he’ll have to sign off on the Falcons signing a veteran free agent to compete right now while a draft prospect develops for the future. Cousins or Baker Mayfield would fill the first need, but what quarterback could fill the latter?
ESPN’s Jordan Reid believes it could be one that many haven’t been thinking of, not Bo Nix, J.J. McCarthy, or Michael Penix, but Tulane’s Michael Pratt, who Reid says is a fit for the Falcons.
Where he excels: After Pratt helped Tulane to a huge Cotton Bowl win over USC last January, scouts were buzzing about him coming into the 2023 season. He was nearly flawless in the opener, going 14-of-15 for 294 passing yards and four touchdown passes against South Alabama. But he suffered a left knee injury in the fourth quarter that sidelined him for two games, returning against Nicholls in Week 4 but missing a good matchup against Ole Miss, which was costly. He closed his season with 2,406 yards, 22 TD throws and five interceptions over 11 games before opting out of Tulane’s Military Bowl game.
The program’s leader in career touchdown passes (90), Pratt has shown slightly above-average arm strength and seems to always be in control. His three-level accuracy and comfort in executing NFL concepts will be key components of his evaluation.
At the Senior Bowl, Pratt’s accuracy and ability to layer the ball were consistent throughout the week. We also saw a smooth and fluid throwing motion.
Where he needs work: Pratt isn’t able to escape when things around him begin to crumble, which means he has to improve in picking up those pressure points when reading the defensive structure.
Potential NFL team fit: Atlanta Falcons
Despite missing a couple of games early in the season, Pratt still finished with 22 touchdowns to only five interceptions while posting a career-best 65.4 completion percentage in 11 starts.
From the few Tulane games I watched, Pratt is more athletic than people give him credit for, has plenty of arm talent, and can throw to all three levels. Anticipation and decision making will always be a talking point when analyzing quarterback prospects, and Pratt is no different.
He seemingly helped himself in Mobile, but the process is just beginning. Pro Days, the combine, and other events will give the Falcons more time to assess Michael Pratt.
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