The Falcons could be getting a front row seat of their 2024 quarterback this weekend as the club travels to Chicago to take on Justin Fields and the Bears.
Ryan Poles has a difficult decision this offseason. Armed with two top 10 draft picks, including the first overall selection, the Bears GM will have to decide to reset with a new rookie quarterback or build around Fields.
Many, including myself, believe he’ll go with the latter. A rookie quarterback contract is the most valuable thing in this sport, and if you think that one of the top prospects can give you similar production as Fields, it isn’t a question of what you should do.
For the Falcons, that would mean the Georgia native would become available. His contract situation certainly complicates things, but he’s oozing with potential and the fit makes sense on paper. The Falcons could do much worse at the position than Justin Fields, and Arthur Smith knows just how special of a skill set the former 11th overall pick possesses.
“The thing that I think makes Justin so unique is he’s such a powerful runner once he gets going,” Smith said, via The Athletic. “Even when they get pressure, guys have a hard time bringing him down. When he gets out of it, if you’re not strong and don’t use fundamentals or you don’t have rush integrity, when he takes off, especially when the defense has their back turned, those are damn near home runs once he gets going because he’s a powerful runner.”
Could Smith be complimenting his future quarterback? It’s certainly possible, but I wouldn’t read into it too much. The Falcons should be in on just about every quarterback that becomes available, including Fields.
The draft has more than a couple of potential franchise quarterbacks while Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield, and Ryan Tannehill headline a weak free agent class.
Regardless of where they find him, the pressure will be on for Arthur Smith and Terry Fontenot to get the position right in 2024.
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