The Falcons are one of a handful of teams that will be heavily involved in quarterback rumors this offseason, and the two names that have most frequently been linked to Atlanta are Justin Fields and Kirk Cousins.
Much of it is speculation because they make sense on paper. Cousins will immediately make the Falcons contenders in a weak NFC and is easily attainable through free agency.
Fields makes sense because Atlanta offers a lot of support, unlike Chicago, and he could potentially be the long-term answer, whereas Cousins would be a short-term solution.
It’s no longer speculation. Jordan Schultz reports that there’s “absolutely a building buzz” about the Falcons being in play to trade for Justin Fields.
.@Schultz_Report says "there's absolutely a building buzz" about the Atlanta Falcons being in play to trade for Justin Fields. @CBSSportsRadio pic.twitter.com/WquZ3v8Xjd
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) February 20, 2024
Fields is from Georgia and is a dynamic athlete. For Arthur Blank, that has to be attractive. The Falcons have struggled to create a consistent home environment, and the former Harrison High School superstar returning to Atlanta would go a long way to fix that.
However, it’s all about wins and losses. Would acquiring Justin Fields in a trade net more wins than other options? If not, would the investment in Fields be worth potentially losing more than winning in 2024 for the long-term game?
The Falcons also have to weigh the prospect of Justin Fields in Zac Robinson’s offense, which has been run most effectively by less mobile quarterbacks in past circumstances under Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan.
That’s not to say Fields can’t be that type of quarterback to play within a system and on time; he just hasn’t done it consistently at the NFL level. Moreover, that’s not to say the Falcons also can’t tailor the offense to Fields’ skill set.
It would be a disservice for the Falcons to acquire Fields and ask him to be a pocket passer after all. If the trade does come to fruition, Robinson will have to put together an offense that accentuates Justin Fields’ strengths.
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Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire
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