Are Falcons looking to trade up in the NFL Draft?

The Cardinals don’t need a quarterback with Kyler Murray under a long-term contract and sit in an advantageous position to auction off their selection.

The Panthers traded up to the 1st overall pick and will have their pick of the quarterbacks. Assuming it is Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud, the Texans will take whichever one is left, leaving the Cardinals in a position to sell the idea of trading up for Will Levis or Anthony Richardson. It doesn’t make much sense for the Falcons to trade up for a quarterback, with Desmond Ridder getting the green light as the starter, but it could make sense in other scenarios.

Will Anderson and Jalen Carter are worth trading up for, in my opinion. The Falcons have the draft capital to facilitate a trade, but Terry Fontenot will have to decide whether giving up valuable draft picks is worth trading up for one player. Normally, teams would trade up to 3rd pick for a signal caller, but Anderson and Carter are blue chip prospects that deserve to be in the conversation.

The Cardinals had an atrocious roster. Adding a sure-fire difference maker has to be tantalizing, but stockpiling draft capital might be a better choice for a roster in desperate need of talent. The Falcons could stand to benefit in that situation. The 8th overall pick is an interesting spot to be in because this class isn’t as top-heavy as others. Trading up or down makes sense to maximize their value.

Hell, the Falcons could trade up for one of Anthony Richardson or Will Levis. I’m partial to the Florida product because of his ridiculously high ceiling, but it would be a bit rich for my blood in either scenario. With that being said, if Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith see one of these prospects as a future franchise quarterback, the club should go get their guy and make no bones about the cost of moving up. It’s the most important position in sports; regimes flame out all of the time without figuring out the quarterback position.