Atlanta Falcons Floated as Absurd Destination for Joe Burrow

The Atlanta Falcons placed a hedged bet at quarterback this offseason. The team added Tua Tagovailoa behind center for the league minimum thanks to the large sum the Miami Dolphins still owe him for the 2026 NFL season.

Tagovailoa could start or give way to fellow former first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. during the 2026 campaign. Hopefully for the Falcons, one of those signal-callers emerges as the team's future starter.

But what if that doesn't happen? Bleacher Report's Moe Moton was already exploring that possibility Tuesday.

During that exploration, Moton proposed a wild idea -- the Falcons pursue Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

"Next offseason, the Falcons will have the third-most cap space across the league with over $148 million. They could offer multiple first-rounders to the Bengals and give Burrow a new deal. Keep in mind that he has only one year of guaranteed money on his contract after the 2026 campaign," wrote Moton.

"Atlanta has quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa on the roster, but the former is once again recovering from knee surgery after an inconsistent second season, and the latter is only under contract for this year.

"The Falcons' new administration can wipe the quarterback slate clean for Burrow in 2027."

In Atlanta, Burrow could join a former AFC North head coach, Kevin Stefanski, that he used to face twice per season. Stefanski's Cleveland Browns posted a 6-4 record versus Burrow from 2020-25.

Could the Atlanta Falcons Really Target QB Joe Burrow in 2027 Offseason?

Moton's article worked under the assumption Burrow experienced another disappointing campaign with the Bengals.

Burrow led Cincinnati to back-to-back AFC championships in 2021 and 2022. But since then, the Bengals have gone 19-16 with Burrow starting in large part because of a struggling defense. He's also missed 16 games over the past three years because of injuries.

In his lone full campaign during 2024, Burrow led the NFL with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns.

The Bengals paid the high price to acquire defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence just prior to the 2026 NFL Draft. But despite Lawrence's presence, Moton sees things going south in Cincinnati as a possibility again in 2026.

If that happens, Burrow could, in theory, force a trade, which could have the Falcons licking their chops. A franchise quarterback of Burrow's caliber simply doesn't become available on the trade market often.

Burrow will be 30 years old next offseason with an injury past. But he would have no shortage of suitors on the trade market. The bidding would start at multiple first-round picks.

If the Falcons were willing to trade multiple first-rounders for Deshaun Watson with Matt Ryan still on the roster a few years ago, it wouldn't be shocking if Atlanta pursued Burrow at that price.

Atlanta's Potential Burrow Interest Depends on Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr.

Again, the opportunity to land a quarterback such as Burrow doesn't come often. But the Falcons should still prefer either Tagovailoa or Penix emerging as their future behind center.

That could happen in 2026 if either plays well.

Tagovailoa will have the first crack at the starting job this summer with Penix potentially still recovering from his knee injury.

It wasn't long ago that Tagovailoa led the NFL in passing yards. With 4,624 passing yards in 2023, Tagovailoa actually accomplished that feat the season prior to Burrow leading the league in passing.

Pundits shouldn't rule out Penix as Atlanta's future either. He's still very talented and will be working with an offensive-minded head coach in Stefanski for the first time.

But Moton is right about one thing. Whether the Falcons are back in the quarterback market next year completely depends on the performances from Tagovailoa and Penix in 2026.

Tagovailoa's contract gives him a one-year audition in Atlanta, and Penix will be in his third NFL campaign this fall.

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