Falcons' Raheem Morris, Terry Fontenot Leave 'All Gates Open' for QBs at NFL Combine
INDIANAPOLIS -- As Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot met with reporters Tuesday morning inside the Indiana Convention Center, the team's current outlook on the quarterback position grew clear.
The Falcons' brass all but ruled out the possibility of the Week 1 starting quarterback being currently on the roster - but everything else is on the table.
"All gates are open in what we're going to do and how we're going about our business," Morris told local media. "And obviously we know we're in the process of finding a quarterback who's going to lead us to wins."
Fontenot, who's overseen the process that's led to three different Week 1 quarterbacks in as many seasons, added the Falcons are still working through the process of determining the avenue they'll pursue.
"We're going to keep all options open," Fontenot said. "Free agency, trade, draft - we're working through all those things simultaneous. We have a lot of really smart people in the building. We have a lot of really, really good people and we're spending a lot of time with them and working through that.
"So, we're right in the middle of that process right now."
Both Fontenot and Morris, who was hired Jan. 25 in place of Arthur Smith, are steadfast in their belief that Atlanta's assembled a strong collection of coaches who specialize with signal callers.
There's new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who was previously the Los Angeles Rams' quarterbacks coach, along with receivers-turned-quarterbacks coach T.J. Yates.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris meets with local media at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.
Daniel Flick, SI Falcon Report
Last season, Atlanta had no quarterbacks-centered coaches. Offensive coordinator Dave Ragone worked hands-on with the position but didn't have the specific title. He's now working with signal callers in Los Angeles, swapping places with Robinson.
But the Falcons' stable of coaches extends beyond not just Robinson and Yates, and even defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake, who worked with quarterbacks in Los Angeles last season.
Fontenot and Morris made several notes of a quartet of former quarterbacks turned assistants in Ken Zampese, D.J. Williams, K.J. Black and Chandler Whitmer, while Morris floated the idea that he has 19 coaches committed to helping whoever plays under center.
"It's going to be a community thing in how we talk about it," Morris said. "It's going to go through all the needs of everybody being a part of that stuff. But (Robinson and Yates) playing the position and knowing what the process looks like, knowing what the dynamic guy looks like, certainly helps."
The success rate for acquiring quarterbacks is low - just ask Fontenot, who's seen four quarterbacks start games the past three years in Atlanta after he spent the first two decades in his career with the New Orleans Saints, where Drew Brees long held serve.
Atlanta missed on Desmond Ridder - to the extent that Morris said the Falcons may not have had an opening at head coach if not for the collectively bad quarterback play a season ago, which was marked by Ridder, Taylor Heinicke and Logan Woodside throwing as many touchdowns (17) as interceptions.
The search for an answer is on, and there will be no shortage of participants involved, each with a keen sense of what it takes to succeed - though it remains an inexact science.
"The more experience you can have, the more opinions you can have around the quarterback, the better," Morris said. "I don't think anybody's got the correct formula figured out on how to find a quarterback. If they did, it would be an easier thing than it is."
Atlanta has the draft capital at No. 8 overall, the free agency money with over $30 million and it thinks it has the coaching staff to find, land and develop a quarterback.
But the pathway the Falcons will pursue remains to be determined, with Morris noting the "competitive urgency" of the situation forcing a decision.
Regardless, the clock is ticking, as the new league year - and, subsequently, free agency - starts March 13.
A key part in Atlanta's process is happening now at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, where Morris, Fontenot and the rest of the staff will meet with the draft's top signal callers in the coming days.
The trio of passers widely viewed as the draft's best - USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye and LSU's Jayden Daniels - won't participate in drills Saturday but will meet with teams. Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, who's gained steam as the fourth-best quarterback, will do both.
Fontenot said whether a quarterback does or doesn't participate in drills doesn't dissuade him. Morris seemed fond of those who do throw, citing "competitive nature" and how it reveals insight, if only partially, into the mentality of the player.
Throwing and testing aside, Fontenot added it all goes back to the tape - and he's fond of this crop of quarterbacks.
"It's a really good group," Fontenot said. "It's a strong draft overall, the quarterback position is strong and you have some different types, too. Guys that do it different ways, but it's a really good group. So it's very, very exciting."
The Falcons have a good feel for where the quarterbacks rank on their board, Fontenot said, but they'll continue tweaking it through draft day.
Should Atlanta set its sights on one of the top three quarterbacks, it'll likely be forced to trade up. Fontenot said he's "wide open" with the No. 8 draft slot and is willing to trade up or down or stay in position if needed.
But by draft day, which is set for April 25-27, Atlanta may have no need to look at the quarterbacks on its board.
Several quarterbacks who've established themselves as starters could become available, such as former Minnesota Vikings starter and impending free agent Kirk Cousins and a pair of potential trade options in the Chicago Bears' Justin Fields and Denver Broncos' Russell Wilson.
Fontenot believes there are "a lot of really good options," be it proven veterans or incoming rookies. Morris concurred, citing the number of avenues the Falcons can go, which he listed as Plan A through D.
For this reason, Fontenot believes the Falcons aren't in a bad leverage spot, even though the rest of the NFL knows Atlanta wants a new face under center.
"Once you determine, 'this is the route we want to go and we aggressively go after that,' we just have to make sure we get it right," Fontenot said. "People know that quarterback is a priority for us. But there's so many options. It'd be a little tougher if there weren't a lot of really good options."
For Morris, it's about execution - a process that starts by trusting the staff he's spoken so highly about during his first month on the job.
Atlanta already has a shared vision of what it wants under center, regardless of the method of acquisition.
Morris began his answer by stressing the need to match the Falcons' ethos - being a good person is the priority, first and foremost, then followed by physical traits such as height, weight and speed.
Fontenot, who said last offseason he believed in Ridder largely because of his intelligence, agrees with Morris and hasn't changed course on his biggest indicator of success under center.
"It's the neck up and it's about it's about who you are as a person," Fontenot said. "There's a lot of different flavors, skill sets, physical attributes, but what never changes is, it's about the makeup and the character and the work ethic."
It's not only leadership, but also composure when the game - and season - reaches critical moments.
"These guys, there's no more pressure outside of the head coach ... and you can't predict how a person is going to handle that pressure," Fontenot said. "So, they have to have the right things inherently to handle that."
Ridder had that but didn't have the production or team success. The same is true for Heinicke.
Now, Fontenot finds himself back in the same position he was in a year ago - answering quarterback questions at the podium and hoping he doesn't have to repeat the process again next offseason.
"We've got to get it right," Fontenot said. "And that's real clear. We haven't shied away from that. We know that's critical to get that position right."
