The Falcons are close to a complete coaching staff under Raheem Morris.
The next step will be for Terry Fontenot and the front office to meet with Morris’ staff to assess the current roster and impending free agents. Calais Campbell, Bud Dupree, and Jeff Okudah are the most notable players set to hit free agency.
Then, the Falcons will look toward external free agents and potential contract extensions, particularly for A.J. Terrell. The Falcons have around $25 million in cap space as it stands, but Fontenot can create nearly $20 million by parting ways with Taylor Heinicke, Jonnu Smith, Mike Hughes, and Lorenzo Carter, the bulk of which comes from Heinicke and Smith.
Following free agency, the Falcons immediate attention will turn to the draft, where they hold the 8th overall pick along with their full allotment of draft picks.
Atlanta needs another wide receiver (or two) to pair with Drake London, a cornerback to compete with Clark Phillips III for the spot opposite A.J. Terrell, another edge defender if Dupree doesn’t return, and as always, addressing the trenches should be a non-negotiable.
More than anything, though, the Falcons have to address the quarterback position. It cannot be another half measure as they’ve done in the past with Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder, and Taylor Heinicke.
With a couple of weeks left in the regular season, it seemed like the world was at Terry Fontenot’s fingertips. The Falcons had plenty of options. A few weeks into the offseason and that is no longer the case.
The top free agents — Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield — could very well sign new deals with their respective teams. Justin Fields is about the only worthwhile option that will be available via trade, and the draft may not be abundant in options either.
The first three picks very well could go quarterback, quarterback, quarterback, leaving the Falcons with J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix, and Bo Nix. It’s not exactly what fans imagined before the season ended.
However, there remains a sliver of hope that the Falcons can move up the board for Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels. Bleacher Report recently explored what it would take for teams to trade up to the No. 1 overall pick.
The Bears could choose to roll with Justin Fields; it wouldn’t be my choice, but this is a franchise that doesn’t often do the right thing. This is what Bleacher Report believes it would take for the Falcons to trade up:
The Atlanta Falcons hold the No. 8 overall selection, so we’re looking at a slightly smaller leap than the one Carolina made last year. In that case, the Panthers parted with a productive starter in his prime as well as a future first-round pick and two second-rounders to move up.
If the Falcons wanted to follow in the Panthers’ footsteps, it would depend on what leverage the Bears have based on interest from teams like the Commanders, Patriots and Cardinals inside the top four.
If the Bears are sure that they don’t want a quarterback and believe they can land the guy they want either at No. 8 or No. 9 or by packaging those two selections to move back up, and if nothing else is on the table, they could accept nothing more than a future first-rounder and a few Day 2 selections for the swap.
But there will inevitably be interest from other teams, and the Bears will wisely drive a hard bargain, just as they did last year.
Predicted return: 2024 No. 8 pick, 2025 first-round pick, 2024 second-round pick, 2024 third-round pick, 2025 second-round pick
Two first-round picks, two second-rounders, and a third-round pick isn’t going to get it done. The Panthers offered a similar package with D.J. Moore included. The Falcons will be one of several teams vying for the No. 1 overall pick if it becomes available, which will drive the price up. I believe, if the Bears are foolish enough to auction it off, the price will begin with three first-round picks and then some.
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Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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