One NFL Draft Trade That Could Change the Falcons Overnight

The Atlanta Falcons enter the first day of the NFL Draft without a selection in the first round and just five overall selections, but there is still room for some fireworks this weekend.

Ian Cunningham is taking over as the franchise’s new general manager, meaning anything can happen. Aside from his flurry of free agency acquisitions this spring, he is not tied to any single player on the roster. With that paired with the glaring lack of draft capital, is there a potential trade in the cards that he could consider?

Earlier this week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. could be available. The former fourth overall pick signed his franchise tag earlier this offseason, locking in his $15 million deal – although both parties can still negotiate a possible extension.

Cunningham has already shown a willingness to be aggressive with trades, opting to acquire Sydney Brown for a pick exchange and later swapping Ruke Orhorhoro for Maason Smith in a rare, one-for-one flip of defensive tackles.

"I'd say for all the players, we're going to listen, I wouldn't just say Kyle," Cunningham said during Monday's pre-draft press conference. "That's our job. That doesn't mean that that's going to happen, but if people call, we're going to listen."

The Falcons' general manager has made it clear that he is in the market for more draft capital, and moving Pitts could be their best way to do that with a player trade. He could hope to recoup a second-round pick and a fifth-round pick in return, but could settle for just a third-round pick if they were eager to move on.

On the other hand, Pitts is only just now entering the prime years of his career (despite this being his sixth year in the league). Trading him could end up being as risky as letting him play on the tag this season.

Another candidate for a potential trade would be safety Jessie Bates III. He is a central piece to this defense, serving as a team captain last season, but he is entering the final year of his deal.

If they were to proceed with a trade, the 29-year-old would be unlikely to be on the move during the draft. A pre-June 1st trade would result in $19.25 million in dead cap and just $5.52 million in savings. Bates' expiring contract and high-level production make him a player worth considering, but any trade this weekend would need to be well worth it for the Falcons.

Other candidates would be hard to predict, but any premier player would be a rather significant surprise. They do not have a roster with much depth, so player trades might prove a bit difficult for them this weekend.

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