ESPN’s suggested Falcons trade in exchange for the top choice
Free agency will arrive sooner rather than later as the Falcons coaching staff, led by Raheem Morris, is starting to take shape.
But Terry Fontenot has some work ahead of him. There are plans to extend A.J. Terrell, and Atlanta could be able to sign several upcoming free agents, most notably Calais Campbell.
After that, the general manager of the Falcons will concentrate on free agency, where he will have $25 million available to him. But Fontenot doesn’t need to restructure a single deal in order to generate roughly $20 million in cap space. After free agency, Fontenot and his front office will concentrate on the draft, where the team has the 8th overall pick right now, and their entire draft capital allocation.
The Falcons will have several chances to address the quarterback situation throughout the summer. Baker Mayfield and Kirk Cousins should be the first and last free agent options, but that may not be possible. Both might choose to re-sign with their current teams, which would push the Falcons to consider a veteran free agent like Russell Wilson—who might only be a temporary solution.
The Falcons also have the option to go through the draft. The top three picks appear to be quarterbacks, meaning that Atlanta would select one of Michael Penix, Bo Nix, or J.J. McCarthy, none of whom are deserving of the eighth overall pick.
In the unlikely event that the Bears make the mistake of trading Justin Fields for the first overall pick, the Falcons need to make an inquiry. If the latter, the possibility of returning the native Georgian home should be considered. It shouldn’t, however, be the final word. The Falcons should sell the farm for the first overall pick if the former is the case.
Terry Fontenot needs to pay up, no matter how much it costs. It will cost three first-round picks, a second-round pick, and a third-round pick, according to Bill Barnwell of ESPN.
This one might be enjoyable. Terrell, A.J.? London Drake? Pitts Kyle? Maybe there isn’t a perfect fit in terms of players; I’m not sure the Falcons want to sell Terrell or London, and Pitts still doesn’t appear to be fully recovered after playing with a surgically repaired knee last season.
Currently, the top tier includes two quarterbacks, three receivers, and two left tackle prospects. The Bears wouldn’t be able to guarantee that Jayden Daniels will leap ahead of a tackle or receiver, so they would need to pay a premium to drop any lower than No. 7.
Option Nos. 8 and 43, 2025 first- and third-round selections, and a 2026 first-round selection are offered in exchange for the top pick.
That seems like a reasonable estimate of what it would take to get the first overall choice, in my opinion. It wasn’t even close, according to Bleacher Report’s most recent projection of the possible deal: 2024 No. 8 selection, 2025 first-round pick, 2024 second-round pick, 2024 third-round pick, 2025 second-round pick.
Starting with what the Bears received from the Panthers in the previous season—two firsts, two seconds, and D.J. Moore—it will begin. It will likely be a guy similar to A.J. Terrell or Kyle Pitts, and at the at least, another first-round selection.
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