Man I sure would love for us to trade back and get a haul like Miami did. Trade 3rd and get this years 12th pick and 3rd rounder plus 2022 and 2023 first rounders
I’m not sure who would want Fields/Lance that much other than Carolina, and they may be hesitant to trade within the division.
Didn’t think about them. Could definitely see that, though it kinda seems like they’re willing to give Heinicke one more year.
Denver is another option. This draft is realistically already working out as well as reasonably be expected, given that Ryan's stupid contract takes us out of the QB picks anyway. So the consolation prize of not getting our QB of the future when we're up so high is getting the best non-QB in the draft? Or trading down to whoever wants a QB or that other #1 player? Sign me up.
This draft was working out as well as reasonably expected the moment TD was fired. Everything else is just a huge bonus at this point.
Our FA signings are now being broken by a man with 7k followers. This is how you know you're on the right path.
On one hand, who has their agent identify them by college 7 years into their career? On the other hand, he's started 4 games ever (all last year), but the Jets were 2-2 in those games and 0-12 in the rest. So, there's that.
Ready to watch Sewell's pro day on Friday have a feeling the new front office/gm has a fully functioning brain come draft day
Kipper has us taking Pitts at 4. I love Pitts, but still holding out hope for a big haul to trade back
I love Pitts, but if you look at this roster and think it's a good idea to go TE at 4 I think we might be in trouble. I could be way off here.
Assuming that Wilson and Trevor or gone the only pick outside of Sewell id be happy with is fields so he can sit a year and learn.
I'm fine with this. This QB class better crush or the draft thread will be a fun exercise in word doc'ing one way or the other.
if Fields is there you have to take him, if not then Sewell or trade back are the only acceptable options
Agree completely. Another pass catcher won’t save the team alone, too many holes. I’m a big fan of trade back if we can get a QB desperate team to trade a lot. my only reservation is we’ve had so many busts over the years. Pitts feels “safe” to me as I think he’s the real deal. The further back we trade, the more likely we whiff on our first pick. To trade back and get somebody like Surtain would be my ideal scenario, but I doubt he’s available where we’d be picking
NFL Draft rumor: Terry Fontenot wants to draft QB, Arthur Smith thinks Matt Ryan has 2+ years left ESPN Insider Chris Mortensen provides the latest Falcons’ draft rumor. By Evan Birchfield@EvanBirchfield Apr 6, 2021, 10:00am EDT The lead up to the 2021 NFL Draft is exciting and ever-changing, with opinions and reports . The rumor mill has been very busy of late, and it seems we get a new rumor by the day. It’s understandable as the Falcons have a new regime who not only has a former league MVP at the quarterback position, but also a top-5 selection in the upcoming draft. The latest rumor comes by way of ESPN Insider Chris Mortensen, who appeared on the network’s most recent draft special. When they got to the Falcons pick, Mortensen shared what he’s heard the Falcons’ plans might be at the end of the month. What I’m hearing is that [Terry] Fontenot is more focused on quarterback, and Arthur Smith believes that Matt Ryan does have two or more years left. He has no real medical history, he hasn’t missed many games in his career and there hasn’t been a big drop off in his play. Mortensen also mentions who he hears the Falcons may target at quarterback, assuming that’s the direction they decide to go in. One thing I do hear though is that if they do go quarterback at No. 4, then Trey Lance is probably the guy. One report this far out from the draft doesn’t necessarily paint a full picture, but Mortensen has been doing this for a long time and presumably is sharing insights he picked up from someone within the Atlanta organization. I don’t envy the Falcons on the whole “draft a quarterback or don’t” dilemma, as I find myself personally changing opinions on the subject. Ryan has showed that he’s a player who can run a high-powered offense, especially if you have the right pieces around him, but you can’t fault the team for looking down the road with a brand new coaching staff and front office in plan. If things go according to plan, you typically don’t have a top-5 selection sitting in your lap. Passing on a future franchise quarterback may be an opportunity Fontenot feels he simply can’t pass up, and most of the reporting to this point has suggested that’s where he’s leaning. Mortensen also mentions the prospect of Trey Lance being the guy they would target, and I’m all for that. Lance would find his way on the field on a limited basis this year—Arthur Smith isn’t going to let a player with his skills go an entire year with no snaps—and then likely take over the starting job in a year or two. It won’t be the year one impact pick many fans are clamoring for with this team’s many holes, but if Lance pans out, the Falcons could be taking care of their quarterback position for many years to come. Ultimately though, it will come down to Fontenot and Smith agreeing on a decision, and rolling with it, and there’s been no indications public or otherwise that there’s any kind of great battle between the two over who’s coming aboard in the draft. In the end, we expect the team’s new general manager to stock the cupboard for Smith and the new coach to find a way to use them effectively, and so it’s worth continuing to watch what’s being reported about where Fontenot is leaning on April 29.
That's where I am. The argument of "it's hard to get a top 4 pick, this loaded QB class, etc" but even at 4 in this draft you're getting the 4th (best?) QB off the board. Maybe I am looking at it the wrong way here idk
I don't think they would do that. Maybe get him some playing time this season, not just garbage time and try to trade Ryan next season?
Trading Ryan is easier said than done and the most logical trade partner just traded up to snipe Fields from us
And we all know Arthur Blank is fiercely loyal to a fault. If Matt tells him he wants to play another five years, he’s gonna take his word for it.
True we could try and trade and eat part of his salary to make him more appealing. Not sure if they do that in the NFL tho
Should have changed that to "when not playing in Dirk Koetter's offense" but that could even end up being wrong.
The only solace I'm taking is that it feels like no matter the pick QB, OT or trading back I'll be happy. I'm honestly fine with any of those three options.
If we stay at 4 it better be for a qb. I like lance and think him sitting a couple years with limited packages is ideal as he needs some grooming. I don’t actually think he’s the 4th best qb. I think after Lawrence and Wilson teams have very different opinions on who they want based on what they want to do offensively
Our defense has so many holes on it. Literal vacuums of talent at all 3 levels. No clue who will start next to Grady, or at safety. we don’t have any RBs. I looked at the 2018 draft this morning. Denver picked at 5. They chose Bradley Chubb who is really good. It’s revisionist history to think they should have chosen Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson, but would they be better off now? obviously that choice isn’t binary. Lamar and Josh went to smart organizations who knew how to build around them and developed good defenses with smart free agent signings. Buffalo smartly used free agency to piece together the OL, drafting guys like Edmunds and Ed Oliver and then swinging big for Diggs while pairing Allen with Daboll. Baltimore had awesome infrastructure already with guys like Ronnie Stanley as possibly the best LT in football. The right answer is there is probably no wrong answer. If you take Lance and sit him, you have a succession plan at QB. I don’t like that you waste one of his cheap years sitting behind Matt but what are you going to do? If you take Sewell you are probably going to have a top 5 offense next year if Julio stays healthy. If you trade back you can immediately improve an awful defense. my fever dream is to trade back with Denver or Washington and land Ojulari and Zaven Sanders from Tulsa. Get faster at the first 2 levels. Sanders feels like the kind of guy Pittsburgh drafts and he is in the hall of fame in 20 years. Ojulari is my favorite edge in this draft, I think he will be way better than the Miami guys. My hope is based on what Arthur did with Tannehill he can coax an elite year out of Ryan and then we can find a distressed asset like the Titans did and he can turn him into a really good QB.
You're not going to sit him for two years. You'd sit him in '21, then cut Ryan post June 1st '22 and save 23 million in cap space. Seems kinda dump to try to build around a 38 year old QB. Y'all will win 6-9 games next year and pick 12-15th with no shot of getting an elite QB and just stay in limbo