Now that the Superbowl is over, all 32 teams are competing to win the off-season and for the Falcons, there’s a lot of work to do coming off of a 7-10 season. So far Atlanta has refreshed the sideline, with the hiring of new head coach Raheem Morris, but the roster remains under construction.
The decision of what the Falcons do at the quarterback position could make or break their season before it even starts. Atlanta currently owns the number eight pick in the 2024 draft for the third consecutive year. Recent reports suggest the Falcons may explore the possibility of trading up the draft board per Cam Marino.
This year’s draft class is stacked with talented QBs, from the two previous Heisman winners Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams to a national championship winner in J.J. McCarthy. While Williams is projected to be the number one overall pick and out of reach for the Falcons, Atlanta is expected to make a trade in an attempt to pursue either Daniels, McCarthy or even Drake Maye out of UNC, provided they are still available.
“Good depth, no doubt,” Falcons General Manager Terry Fontenot said. “There’s some really good players and some different flavors so there’s different types of quarterbacks that can do some different things. It’s a really good group of quarterbacks this year not only in the draft but like I said free agency, via trade, there’s some really talented players available and we’re excited to attack that.”
In the event that Atlanta doesn’t trade up to draft a young quarterback, signing a veteran is also a possibility as a few guys are rumored to be on the move this off-season.
Kirk Cousins is listed as one of the best available quarterbacks and the Falcons are the betting favorites to land him. Although Atlanta has a young core on offense, Cousins, 35, is a four-time Pro-bowler with playoff experience that could be valuable to the team. Winning in the NFC South would likely be more achievable for Cousins compared to the NFC North, where he battled with Aaron Rodgers for six seasons, while also competing with an up-and-coming Lions team.
After an NFC South division title and a trip to the playoffs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield could find himself on a new roster before week one of next season. Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson are already familiar with Mayfield’s game when they coached him during their time as Los Angeles Rams assistants. Given Mayfield’s career-highs in both passing yards (4,044) and touchdowns (28) last season, now would be the best time for Atlanta to sign him.
Another player catching the attention of several teams in the league is Chicago’s Justin Fields. Entering the final year of his rookie contract without the Bears picking up his fifth-year option, Fields, who is also amidst trade talks, could potentially be on the move before next season. The Georgia native began his college career at UGA before transferring to Ohio State and could answer the prayers of Falcons fans all across the state.
While signing a new quarterback won’t fix all of the Falcon’s problems, it’ll definitely be a step in the right direction, as Morris looks to rebuild the culture of Falcons football.
