Falcons: NFL insider weighs in on the cost to trade up in the draft

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: JAN 02 Goodyear Cotton Bowl

The Falcons have their head coach and offensive coordinator, next will be filling out the roster and finding a solution at quarterback.

Given the landscape of the market, it may not work out as many fans had hoped. There isn’t an obvious answer for the Falcons to acquire a signal caller who can win in 2024 while also being the long-term franchise quarterback.

The free agent market could quickly dwindle if Baker Mayfield and Kirk Cousins sign extensions with their respective teams. The trade market has exactly one name on it right now, and Justin Fields may not be a fit for Zac Robinson’s offense. His contract and lack of development also complicate things.

Most Falcons fans’ dreams revolve around acquiring a franchise quarterback in the draft. It’s the surest way to do so. However, things look quite bleak on that front. Unless you’re enthralled with Michael Penix, J.J. McCarthy or Bo Nix, the Falcons would have to package together a ‘Godfather-like’ deal to move up the board.

Tom Pelissero talked to Rich Eisen about the prospect of teams trading up, and to illustrate just how costly it’ll be for the Falcons, Pelissero said that it would take a couple of first-round picks just for the Commanders to move up from the No. 2 overall pick, let alone the Falcons at the No. 8 overall pick.

The Falcons could offer three first-round picks, a couple of second-rounders, some thirds, and a player like A.J. Terrell and Kyle Pitts and the Bears would still likely say no from what Pelissero is saying.

Fans better wrap their heads around the idea of drafting one of McCarthy, Nix, Penix, or Michael Pratt in hopes they can develop behind a stopgap veteran like Kirk Cousins or Russell Wilson. It’s not ideal, but it’s a reality at this point.

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Photographer: Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire

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