Bear with me here. Little complicated. But it's math, so......
March 18 is a date to keep an eye on for the Falcons and their draft position. Trade of Calvin Ridley to the Jags had several conditions attached to the compensation coming back to Atlanta. Conditional 4th round pick if Ridley DOES NOT do any of the following: 60% of games snaps for the season; 75 receptions; 1000 yards receiving.
Since Ridley accomplished all of those criteria, the pick becomes a 3rd rounder. But IF Jacksonville chooses to give him an extension - and all signs indicate that they will, by March 18 - the pick then becomes a second round choice. Currently at #48 overall.
Atlanta has its own first round pick (#8), then their own second rounder (#43) and would add the Jax pick (#48) unless they decide to let Ridley walk.
For the sake of argument, let's assume that when Atlanta is on the clock at #8 the top three QB's are off the board. Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jalon Daniels. What then? I'm hearing that Justin Fields might be in play via trade (please, no) but it would probably cost the two #2's mentioned above to get it done. Fields may be okay, but hasn't shown anything exceptional except running ability with Chicago to this point.
Kirk Cousins is another option. Albeit very expensive. And would certainly limit the Falcons on most other options they might consider adding via free agency if they burn ALL the cap space on the one player. And Cousins is 35. Good player, but he's coming off an injury and would be changing teams. Never a great option for any skill guy. Quarterbacks even more so. Again... please, no.
Ryan Tanneyhill, Russell Wilson, Jacoby Brissett, Jameis Winston, Baker Mayfield, etc. Please, HELL no. Recycling QB's is like buying a used car: you might get lucky. Or you might inherit somebody's else's problem.
One name I did not mention: Gardner Minshew. While I don't see him as a savior for the Falcons at QB, he might be serviceable for a year or two if Atlanta were to draft a signal caller in the first round. And Minshew can certainly be had for pennies on the Cousins dollars. Leaving some Monopoly money for Fontenot and Morris to work with filling some other needs.
But.... if those top three guys are gone, then what? MIchael Penix scares the bejeezus out of me. Long (major) injury history. So... no. Please don't. Two other QB's left late first round/early second: JJ McCarthy and Bo Nix.
I'm assuming there is no reach for either at the #8 pick. Which I hope will be used for an EDGE/DL guy to help with SOME kind of pass rush.
So, maybe sign Minshew before the draft, draft (Dallas Turner?) at #8, then work on finding that QB later in the first round. It may require giving up both of those aforementioned #2's to move back into the mid to late first round. But the tradeoff for trading Calvin Ridley would seem worth it to me, if it translates to using Atlanta's second rounder (plus the Jax #2) to draft their quarterback.
I believe Zac Robinson capable enough to make some hay with a QB like Minshew. Certainly another WR or two will need to be drafted and/or signed to give whomever takes the snaps some more weapons. But this is not a terrible Falcons team. If they can just find a quarterback. Without robbing a bank, I mean. Or writing a Blank check!
That's my scenario. Before you flame away, maybe you can give yours. Other than just signing Cousins and damn being broke for the next few years. It happened with Matty Ice at a similar age. Put all our eggs in his basket, then watched him age overnight.
If Minshew can just be a .500 pitcher for the first half of the 2024 season, then the question becomes is the new guy ready to step up, or does Atlanta play .500 ball the rest of the way and maybe sneak into the playoffs with a wild card? Or wouldn't it be a hoot if new guy blows through Spring and the Falcons roll into summer camp with a starter right off the draft table?
March 18 is a date to keep an eye on for the Falcons and their draft position. Trade of Calvin Ridley to the Jags had several conditions attached to the compensation coming back to Atlanta. Conditional 4th round pick if Ridley DOES NOT do any of the following: 60% of games snaps for the season; 75 receptions; 1000 yards receiving.
Since Ridley accomplished all of those criteria, the pick becomes a 3rd rounder. But IF Jacksonville chooses to give him an extension - and all signs indicate that they will, by March 18 - the pick then becomes a second round choice. Currently at #48 overall.
Atlanta has its own first round pick (#8), then their own second rounder (#43) and would add the Jax pick (#48) unless they decide to let Ridley walk.
For the sake of argument, let's assume that when Atlanta is on the clock at #8 the top three QB's are off the board. Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jalon Daniels. What then? I'm hearing that Justin Fields might be in play via trade (please, no) but it would probably cost the two #2's mentioned above to get it done. Fields may be okay, but hasn't shown anything exceptional except running ability with Chicago to this point.
Kirk Cousins is another option. Albeit very expensive. And would certainly limit the Falcons on most other options they might consider adding via free agency if they burn ALL the cap space on the one player. And Cousins is 35. Good player, but he's coming off an injury and would be changing teams. Never a great option for any skill guy. Quarterbacks even more so. Again... please, no.
Ryan Tanneyhill, Russell Wilson, Jacoby Brissett, Jameis Winston, Baker Mayfield, etc. Please, HELL no. Recycling QB's is like buying a used car: you might get lucky. Or you might inherit somebody's else's problem.
One name I did not mention: Gardner Minshew. While I don't see him as a savior for the Falcons at QB, he might be serviceable for a year or two if Atlanta were to draft a signal caller in the first round. And Minshew can certainly be had for pennies on the Cousins dollars. Leaving some Monopoly money for Fontenot and Morris to work with filling some other needs.
But.... if those top three guys are gone, then what? MIchael Penix scares the bejeezus out of me. Long (major) injury history. So... no. Please don't. Two other QB's left late first round/early second: JJ McCarthy and Bo Nix.
I'm assuming there is no reach for either at the #8 pick. Which I hope will be used for an EDGE/DL guy to help with SOME kind of pass rush.
So, maybe sign Minshew before the draft, draft (Dallas Turner?) at #8, then work on finding that QB later in the first round. It may require giving up both of those aforementioned #2's to move back into the mid to late first round. But the tradeoff for trading Calvin Ridley would seem worth it to me, if it translates to using Atlanta's second rounder (plus the Jax #2) to draft their quarterback.
I believe Zac Robinson capable enough to make some hay with a QB like Minshew. Certainly another WR or two will need to be drafted and/or signed to give whomever takes the snaps some more weapons. But this is not a terrible Falcons team. If they can just find a quarterback. Without robbing a bank, I mean. Or writing a Blank check!
That's my scenario. Before you flame away, maybe you can give yours. Other than just signing Cousins and damn being broke for the next few years. It happened with Matty Ice at a similar age. Put all our eggs in his basket, then watched him age overnight.
If Minshew can just be a .500 pitcher for the first half of the 2024 season, then the question becomes is the new guy ready to step up, or does Atlanta play .500 ball the rest of the way and maybe sneak into the playoffs with a wild card? Or wouldn't it be a hoot if new guy blows through Spring and the Falcons roll into summer camp with a starter right off the draft table?
