With Raheem Morris and Zac Robinson in the fold, the Falcons‘ sights should now be set on finding a long-term solution at the quarterback position.
The options are plentiful, depending on where you look. The draft is robust with franchise signal callers. The Falcons would have to trade up for one of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels, but one of J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix, or Michael Penix Jr might be worth a flier, depending on where they’re taken.
The free agent class isn’t nearly as bountiful. Kirk Cousins should be considered the top quarterback set to hit the market, followed by Baker Mayfield, Ryan Tannehill, and Russell Wilson. That’s a few 35-year-olds and Mayfield, who experienced a career resurgence in Tampa Bay, not exactly long-term fixes.
The trade market has even fewer options. There’s really only one clear name that makes sense for the Falcons and might be available — Justin Fields.
Talented, yet underachieving might be the best way to describe Fields, and in Atlanta, he’d return to his home, have a bevy of weapons at his disposal and a coveted offensive coordinator in Zac Robinson.
Bleacher Report wants to see it, and their trade hypothetical has the Falcons sending a second and third-round pick to the Bears for Justin Fields.
We’d love to see what Fields could do with Pitts, Drake London, Tyler Allgeier and Bijan Robinson at his disposal. Given Fields’ contract status—he has two years remaining on his rookie contract, including the fifth-year option—a pair of Day 2 picks might make that happen.
Atlanta may end up with two 2024 second-rounders if Calvin Ridley signs an extension with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
A lot would depend on how Atlanta’s next coach views Fields, but as trade targets go, the 24-year-old would make far more sense for the Falcons than, say, Russell Wilson.
This hypothetical trade would allow Atlanta to keep its eighth overall pick in 2024. That could be used to get a high-end No. 2 receiver to pair with London. The Falcons probably wouldn’t have a shot at Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., but LSU’s Malik Nabers or Washington’s Rome Odunze could be within range.
The Falcons acquiring Justin Fields in a trade is certainly on the table, but a lot of it rides on Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris. The two will have discussions about the future of the position and what they think is best for the Falcons. Fields hasn’t developed as many had hoped, was passed over in favor of Kyle Pitts, and has one year left on his rookie deal, outside of his fifth-year option. That may be enough to turn the Falcons away.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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