The Falcons have a Plan A, B, C, and D to upgrade the quarterback position; that much is clear.
We just aren’t sure what those plans entail. Steve Wyche seems convinced the top priority is to aggressively trade up in the draft, but that may not be a possibility if the Bears, Commanders, and Patriots stand pat.
At that point, the options seem clear. The Falcons could potentially trade for Justin Fields, draft J.J. McCarthy, or sign one of the top free agents available. The order in which the Falcons prefer them is unclear.
However, the ideal scenario is crystal clear — trade up and draft a quarterback. For Pro Football Focus, Atlanta’s best-case draft scenario is landing reigning Heisman trophy winner Jayden Daniels out of LSU.
The Falcons’ quarterback situation will be much clearer once Justin Fields’ final destination is determined.
If Atlanta acquires Fields via trade, then the team will almost certainly decide between an elite wide receiver or a top pass rusher in the first round. Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, Dallas Turner and Jared Verse are all players who make sense for the Falcons.
If Fields winds up elsewhere, the Falcons will have to determine how aggressive they can and should be in finding a franchise quarterback. A golden scenario involves sitting tight and hoping Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye falls to the eighth pick. A more realistic one could see them choosing Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.
In any case, we are a long way from having any clarity regarding the Falcons’ draft situation. The only obvious component is that they need a starting quarterback.
Assuming Caleb Willimas goes first overall, Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels falling to the Falcons’ 8th pick is the ‘golden’ scenario, as PFF puts it.
Realistically, it’ll take a trade up the draft board to land Maye or Daniels. Even more realistically, the Falcons will likely be looking at one of the other options — Fields, McCarthy, or a free agent.
At one point, it seemed like the Falcons would have the world within reach, but options quickly dissipated when the draft order was set and the top three spots went to quarterback-needy clubs.
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Photographer: Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire
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