Should Falcons Trade for Justin Fields: Case For & Against
One of the biggest priorities this offseason for the Atlanta Falcons will be finding their next franchise quarterback.
One name commonly linked with the Falcons is current Chicago Bears quarterback and former Georgia native Justin Fields. But should the Falcons be interested in trading for the quarterback they once passed on in the NFL Draft?
The Case For:
Dec 31, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) rushes for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half at Soldier Field.
Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
In what was likely Fields' last season in Chicago, it may have been his best. Fields threw for a career-high 2,562 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 61.4 percent of his passes. In addition, Fields rushed for 657 yards and four scores with his legs in 13 games last season.
With a trade to the Falcons, where he had weapons like Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts at his disposal, it is hard to deny that there is a lot of potential for things to work out for both sides.
At just 24 years old, Fields would undoubtedly fit in alongside a core of young players who could grow together over the next decade if all things go well. Which, compared to other options like potential free agents like Kirk Cousins, is a big positive.
The Case Against:
'Haven't they done this before?' It may be the biggest case against the idea of the Falcons trading for Fields: a former first-round quarterback who hasn't panned out as many hoped and now needs a change of scenery. Does that sound familiar?
It seems like a very similar story to what the Falcons were getting into when signing Marcus Mariota ahead of the 2022 season. Although Mariota was older at that time than Fields is now and already had a second chance elsewhere with the Las Vegas Raiders. Howless, trading for Fields would be considered a retread.
Not to mention, it'd be banking on the ability of first-year offensive coordinator Zac Robinson to get the most out of Fields.
But maybe the biggest con against trading for Fields would be his upcoming contract status. The Falcons would immediately be tasked with figuring out whether they'd like to use his fifth-year option on him, along with considering a potential contract extension.
This means if things don't work out, then the Falcons could find themselves back in the market for a quarterback in another year or two.
