The Falcons aren’t expected to be in the quarterback market in next week’s draft with Kirk Cousins under contract for the next four years at the modest price of $180 million, but this team has surprised me before.
With that being said, there will come a time when Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot will have to think about life without Cousins. Grooming his successor seems like a non-negotiable, especially after the team’s GM just watched what not having a plan can look like — Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder, and Taylor Heinicke.
Whether it’s this year or next year, the Falcons have to eventually think about succession plans. The 2025 quarterback class has plenty of intriguing talents, some that have ties to Atlanta as well.
Deion Sanders recently appeared on a podcast, talking about his sons, Shedeur and Shilo, along with Travis Hunter’s future in the NFL, claiming that they won’t just go play for anyone.
“Although Sanders did not name the cities he would prefer his sons and Hunter not play in, he agreed with the hosts that the Eagles would be a ‘good fit,'” The New York Post’s Jenna Lemoncelli said. “He also named San Francisco, Dallas, Washington and Baltimore as potential cities he would approve of them playing in — all of which are teams he played for during his 14-season career.”
Those are all of Sanders’ former teams, and he gave a special blessing to the Dirty Birds, the franchise that drafted him out of Florida State in the 1989 NFL Draft.
“There were certain cities that fit. Atlanta fit,” Sanders said, referring to when the Falcons selected him in the 1989 NFL Draft. “And I want that for my kids. All of them. I want the right fit.”
Shilo is a safety who doesn’t project to be as high of a draft pick as his brother Shedeur and Travis Hunter, but all three seem primed to play at the next level.
Shedeur is a hell of a dual-threat quarterback and could very well be Cousins’ successor. He would bring excitement back to Atlanta, something that hasn’t been felt since Matt Ryan’s magical MVP campaign and Mike Vick’s tenure. It would be a dream come true for the Falcons from a marketing standpoint.
Hunter, on the other hand, could be the next great two-way player in the NFL. The Falcons will probably need another corner and receiver next season. Why not kill two birds with one stone?
This is all way too early speculation, but it’s an exciting thought to see Prime Time back in Atlanta.
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Photographer: Zac BonDurant/Icon Sportswire
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