Updates on the Falcons

[Mr. Scot]

From Albert Breer (link)

From Taylor Hemness (@taylorhemness): Who trades with Atlanta at No. 4?

Taylor, I’m starting to think the Falcons are settling in on the idea of staying at No. 4. I’ve heard the asking price to go up there is high, and that tells me that Atlanta really values what will be able available at the pick. And if I had to guess, I’d say the Falcons are weighing the totality of taking a quarterback fourth—along with which quarterbacks would be worth taking at No. 4—against just sticking and taking a rare tight end prospect in Kyle Pitts.

To me, that decision is really about timelines. Taking Pitts, for GM Terry Fontenot, means doubling down on the existing core—and, contrary to popular opinion, doing that wouldn’t be that illogical. They’d be injecting Pitts into an offense with Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and a line with three former first-round picks on it. The defense still needs work, of course, in building around Grady Jarrett and Deion Jones. But with some development from existing young guys like A.J. Terrell and a good draft, they could get competitive there, too.

I think it’s enough for Arthur Smith to have his team contending for the playoffs in Year 1. The Falcons won’t win a championship but could take a step and build momentum going into 2022 and just put off the QB question for another couple of years. Ryan is still only 35, which isn’t exactly ancient for a quarterback these days.

Conversely, if the Falcons take a quarterback, they’d probably be looking at turning the page on the current core in time. There’d be $40.525 million in dead money to manage for moving Ryan after 2021. And by next March, when the 2022 league year starts, Jones will be 33 and tackle Jake Matthews will be 30, and those two would have more than $30 million in dead money between them if Atlanta decided to make calls on their futures at that point. So they’d necessarily be looking at, potentially, a two-year teardown as they plan around the new guy.

Put it together, and the convenient thing here would be to stay the course behind Ryan & Co. But, of course, this is a very QB-rich year, and so if there’s a guy the Falcons view as truly special at the position … it would be pretty tough to pass on that.

 

And D Orlando Ledbetter...

Atlanta getting Sewell would suck ass.

[Panthera onca]

They should add weapons and try to win with the existing core for a few more years.

[Mr. Scot]

2 minutes ago, Panthera onca said:

They should add weapons and try to win with the existing core for a few more years.

Ledbetter has them taking Fields.

[Panthera onca]

I would bet Smith would like to win immediately to get his tenure off to a great start. Pitts would help them immensely with that. They would score enough to be in every game. If a total tear down happens, Smith could be out in 3 years.

[thefuzz]

Please please please no Sewell.

Were it me, I'm probably taking the best WR prospect, and hoping to unload Jones after the season....big hope though.

Pitts would intrigue me, but man I don't like TE's in the top end of the 1st.

[LinvilleGorge]

It honestly won't surprise me either way. If they think Fields is the long term answer they should take him. Most people think he needs to sit and learn for a year anyway. They could let him do that and then trade Ryan leading up to next year's draft. If they aren't taking Fields or Fields isn't there, I think they'd be smart to listen to offers. Yeah, Pitts is an incredible prospect but turning down a potentially weighty trade offer to draft a TE? Oh wee mayne.

[Verge]

I would be pretty surprised if it wasn't a QB. If you don't take a QB and go 7-9 (I guess 7-10?) next year then you are stuck without a QB for the future and you are in cap hell. You take a QB because you plan on never being able to again.

[Mr. Scot]

2 minutes ago, Verge said:

I would be pretty surprised if it wasn't a QB. If you don't take a QB and go 7-9 (I guess 7-10?) next year then you are stuck without a QB for the future and you are in cap hell. You take a QB because you plan on never being able to again.

Fields?

(assuming the 49ers don't take him)

Edited April 21, 2021 by Mr. Scot

[TheProcess]

I think QB is the only logical course for them. Tgey lost a lot of games they had chances to win last year, and adding another weapon like Pitts makes them just good enough to miss on a top 10 pick for a QB in the future. I think they should take the high upside guy that needs to sit and learn behind a vet like Ryan....Trey Lance

[Verge]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Fields?

(assuming the 49ers don't take him)

I think it's Lance. 

[thefuzz]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Fields?

(assuming the 49ers don't take him)

Have to be, right?

I don't think that you can gamble on Lance there with that situation.

[Verge]

Just now, thefuzz said:

Have to be, right?

I don't think that you can gamble on Lance there with that situation.

People really overrate Fields I think. 

[Verge]

If you asked me what most teams QB boards are, I would tell you most of them have Fields as their 5th QB. From what I have heard anyway.

[Mr. Scot]

Just now, Verge said:

People really overrate Fields I think. 

Are you including people on this board in that comment?