The Atlanta Falcons are in the market for a head coach after firing Arthur Smith. Now, recent reports reveal that Bill Belichick is expected to become the next head coach of the Falcons. It is no secret that Belichick has a long history of success in the NFL. That history could result in Atlanta becoming a major player in the next NFL Draft.
Addressing Quarterback Problems
One of the first things that Belichick would have to do if he did take the Falcons’ head coach job is address the quarterback position. Assuming owner Arthur Blank would give Belichick authority over the roster, this would likely mean looking into replacements for current QB Desmond Ridder. Considering he was benched in the middle of this season; it is safe to say Atlanta is not too optimistic about him becoming a franchise quarterback.
Then, there is backup QB Taylor Heinicke. The Falcons do have the option of letting him compete with Ridder next year. However, it may be more appealing for the Falcons to cut him loose. He is owed $5 million next season but if they released Heinicke, it would only be $2 million in dead cap.
Atlanta Falcons’ Draft Status
Right now, the Falcons hold the eighth pick in the NFL Draft. However, if Bill Belichick were to come to town, Atlanta could be tempted to trade up. That is because, as mentioned above, the Falcons could use a quarterback.
Luckily, for them, there are plenty of quarterbacks available in this draft. However, to get one of the top quarterbacks, the Falcons are likely going to have to trade up. That is because at least half of the teams in front of them may be looking to upgrade the quarterback position.
So, if they wait for a quarterback to fall to the eighth pick, they may lose out on a franchise quarterback such as C.J. Stroud. He was the second overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Trading Up
There are two interesting trades that the Falcons could make in this upcoming draft. The first is to trade up to the fourth overall pick. Right now, that is held by the Arizona Cardinals. However, the Cardinals are going to move forward with QB Kyler Murray next season.
The other option is drawing a lot of speculation. That is to trade for the top overall pick that is currently held by the Chicago Bears. Reports revealed that if the Bears were to trade that pick for the second consecutive year, it could draw a bigger haul than they received for the 2023 top overall pick.
If Chicago is open to trading that pick, the Falcons do have draft capital to give them along with talented players on their current roster. For the Bears, it could mean giving current QB Justin Fields several more key players to work with. For the Falcons, it could mean a franchise quarterback for the next decade and the start of one last meaningful run in the NFL for Bill Belichick.
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