The Falcons offseason is going to be defined by what they do at the quarterback position.
Of course, there are other needs. Drake London needs a running mate or two. A.J. Terrell probably does as well, and as always, the team has a need for an edge rusher.
Terrell and Drew Dalman are extension candidates; Kyle Pitts will need his fifth-year option exercised, but the 2024 campaign hinges on what Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris do to upgrade the quarterback position.
It’s the single biggest factor in whether Atlanta returns to the postseason or the drought continues for another year. So it’s not a surprise that the Falcons fell in the ‘stuck in QB purgatory’ tier in a piece from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN that looked at where teams stood as contenders or total rebuilds and everything in between.
Atlanta Falcons (7-10)
Average age of roster: 27.0
Salary cap space: $21.6 million
Total 2024 draft picks (projected): 7What’s next: After three straight 7-10 seasons, Atlanta can chart a bold path with first-year coach Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot. Passive attempts to solve the quarterback problem have yielded middling results. Now is the time to go big: Cousins, Mayfield, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson are among passers who could be available. Otherwise, Fontenot has helped build a strong roster. The Falcons have a need at pass-rusher. Center Drew Dalman is an extension candidate.
The Falcons have to be done with half measures, or as Fowler puts it “passive attempts” at fixing the position. The club has to be aggressive in its approach, which might even consist of double dipping in the quarterback market.
Regardless of what the new regime chooses to do, it has to be a full swing this offseason, not a third-round pick or a measly backup-caliber free agent. Quarterback purgatory is the worst place for a team to be, and Falcons fans are getting their first taste of it in a post-Matt Ryan world.
—
Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.