We are less than two weeks away from the NFL Draft, and there’s much speculation about what the Falcons will do with their first-round pick.
If Terry Fontenot follows the consensus among mock drafts, Atlanta’s GM will finally select a defensive player with the club’s top pick, marking the end of a streak of three cycles where Fontenot drafted a skill position player.
The Falcons do have options, though. Most notably, Fontenot could trade down. This could be the choice for a couple of reasons, but the driving factor would be that the value at No. 8 doesn’t warrant making the pick.
CBS Sports sees it similarly, saying the Falcons should trade down instead of standing pat or even moving up the draft board.
8. Falcons — Trade down
Kirk Cousins‘ arrival means Atlanta is focused on winning sooner rather than later, so standing pat may seem most logical. But their top needs — wideout, edge, corner — could all be filled with a slight move down that also nets an additional swing.
If Fontenot and his staff don’t believe Dallas Turner, Jared Verse, Quinyon Mitchell, or any other defender is worth taking at their original pick, the Falcons could trade back and accumulate more draft capital.
However, it could very well present a scenario where their top choice is taken if they move too far back. It’s the risk associated with the Falcons potentially trading back.
The No. 8 pick could be quite sought after, depending on how the draft shakes out. J.J. McCarthy/Michael Penix, Joe Alt/Olu Fashanu, or Rome Odunze/Malik Nabers could tempt a quarterback-needy team, or one who needs a left tackle or future WR1 into trading up with the Falcons.
It could even result in a bidding war because outside of the Raiders, Broncos, and Vikings, who need a quarterback, there are half a dozen other clubs that need a left tackle and/or a star receiver.
The Falcons could come out of it quite handsomely if they choose to.
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Photographer: Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire
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