Falcons 'Most Likely' to Trade for No. 1 Pick, Says GM
As the start of the NFL's free agency is just days away, following the conclusion of the Scouting Combine, things are becoming clearer about where things stand for each team ahead of the NFL Draft.
The Atlanta Falcons were upfront about their need for a quarterback, with new coach Raheem Morris saying he wouldn't be with the franchise if it weren't for their struggles at the position last season. This made it no surprise that they were meeting with all of the top quarterback prospects while at the Combine and haven't stopped there, as they are seemingly set to make a run at Kirk Cousins in free agency.
However, even with the recent buzz surrounding Cousins's potential departure from the Minnesota Vikings for Atlanta, a new mock draft from The Athletic's Mike Sando has revealed that a league executive believes the Falcons are still in the mix when it comes to trading up for the No. 1 pick.
“They are the most likely to trade to 1 and get Caleb Williams, or trade for Fields,” an anonymous general manager told The Athletic.
Clutchpoints
The news that the Falcons are a candidate to land the former first-round quarterback Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears is no surprise. Even before the offseason officially got underway, whispers of the Falcons wanting the former Georgia native started to spread.
However, a trade for the No. 1 pick would be a blockbuster and shocker. The near consensus for months has been that the Bears will use that pick on Caleb Williams and move on from Fields, especially after last offseason, which saw them give Fields another run at proving himself, as they traded the top pick to the Carolina Panthers.
Could they really pass on the No. 1 pick two years in a row?
It is obviously possible, especially if enough people in Chicago still believe Fields has untapped potential. However, even putting aside Fields' potential, the Bears would presumably add to the stockpile of picks they acquired last year from the Panthers, which could put them in a position to trade for the No. 1 pick if they needed to in 2025.
Yet, for the Falcons, trading up for any pick inside the top three, especially the first overall selection, would be a statement of intention. The Falcons moving up to No. 1 would signal a belief that their roster is good enough to compete for not only a spot in the playoffs but even going as far as the Super Bowl in the near future, but they just need a quarterback to do it.
Compared to the other teams that are picking in the top-10, it is hard to argue against the notion that the Falcons have the best roster to support a rookie quarterback. This could mark the fourth straight offseason that they used a top-10 pick on an offensive player.
With Kyle Pitts, Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and, in this scenario, Williams, the Falcons would have one of the youngest offensive cores in the league.
