Falcons New Target in NFL Draft (Jalen Carter?) After No. 1 Pick Trade?
The Atlanta Falcons' NFC South-rival Carolina Panthers made waves across the league Friday, acquiring the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft from the Chicago Bears.
The return to Chicago featured two first-round picks, including No. 9 overall this year, and star receiver D.J. Moore, among others.
For the Falcons, who hold the No. 8 overall selection, it marks another quarterback-needy team jumping ahead of them in the draft order - but that comes with significant benefits.
As things stand, quarterbacks C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) and Bryce Young (Alabama) are expected to go off the board at No. 1 and No. 2 overall to the Panthers and Houston Texans, respectively.
Behind them sits the Arizona Cardinals, who general manager Monti Ossenfort has stressed are open for business in the trade-down market ... perhaps to another team in need of quarterback help.
If the Cardinals choose to make the pick, Alabama outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr. and Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson are considered the favorites.
After Arizona is something of a murderer's row of potential quarterback destinations, as the Indianapolis Colts (No. 4 overall), Seattle Seahawks (No. 5) and Las Vegas Raiders (No. 7) are all in the market for new signal callers.
Indianapolis and Las Vegas are more desperate than Seattle, who just gave Geno Smith a three-year contract worth over $100 million, but it's a front-loaded deal that provides flexibility should Smith regress after making his first Pro Bowl.
Regardless, the Colts and Raiders enter the offseason with gaping holes in their quarterbacks room, thus making it likely that all four quarterbacks - Stroud, Young, Florida's Anthony Richardson and Kentucky's Will Levis - all fly off the board before the Falcons are on the clock.
That leaves three selections - one of which will almost certainly be Anderson, while the Detroit Lions at No. 6 overall are expected to draft a cornerback, be it Illinois' Devon Witherspoon or Oregon's Christian Gonzalez.
And suddenly, it's down to one - with both Wilson and Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter still on the board, ensuring at least one will be available when the Falcons are on the clock.
If the Lions or one of the quarterback-needy teams draft Wilson or Carter instead? No problem - Atlanta gets its choice of the top corners or offensive tackles, plus other defensive ends like Clemson's Myles Murphy and Iowa's Lukas Van Ness.
Of course, the Falcons could call an audible and move up to No. 3 overall with the Cardinals, be it for Anderson or one of the quarterbacks ... but should they stay at No. 8, the board appears to set up well to land a blue-chip talent.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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