The Falcons themselves have not revealed their plan at quarterback, but it seems Steve Wyche does have his thumb on the pulse.
In an interview with 92.9 The Game’s Dukes and Bell, Wyche doubled down that Atlanta will be aggressive in trading up in the draft, noting that Justin Fields and Kirk Cousins shouldn’t be considered first options for the Falcons.
“I was told the Falcons will be aggressive. The aggression will be going up and drafting their QB. I don’t think Justin Fields or Kirk Cousins are their first option.” @wyche89 to @putemupcdukes @MikeBellATL
— DukesandBell929 (@DukesandBell929) February 26, 2024
Additionally, Peter King provided a nugget in his retirement column that he believes the Bears will trade the No. 1 pick, so there seems to be at least a sliver of hope that the Falcons will have an opportunity to move up for their franchise quarterback.
However, we must acknowledge the reality that trading up for one of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels is unlikely because the Bears, Commanders, and Patriots all need a quarterback.
Moreover, if one of them does end up putting their pick up for sale, the Falcons will have to bid against the Giants, Vikings, Raiders, and Broncos. There are a lot of hurdles to overcome to be in a position to draft their guy.
With that, there has to be a backup plan, and a firm one. Plan B cannot be a chance. Terry Fontenot has to have a solidified fallback plan if his efforts of trading up in the draft fail. Seth Walder believes the Falcons will end up signing Kirk Cousins in free agency.
Atlanta makes sense for Cousins, assuming he’s fully recovered from the torn Achilles he suffered in Week 8. He’d be going from one former Sean McVay assistant (Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell) to another (Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson). And the Falcons are closer to contending than most think. The roster is fairly strong and was held back by the play of quarterbacks Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. With a new coaching staff and a proven veteran quarterback in Cousins, the Falcons wouldn’t only be NFC South favorites — they could win a playoff game or two
Kirk Cousins is easily the best option for the Falcons if their ultimate goal is to compete in 2024. Any of the rookies, Justin Fields, or another free agent won’t be able to make Atlanta as competitive as Cousins would immediately.
The Falcons could theoretically kick the can of a search for the long-term answer to the 2025 offseason with Cousins under center. There are a lot worse scenarios that could come to fruition.
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Photographer: Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire
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