The Falcons believe they’re contenders with Kirk Cousins.
Why else give a 36-year-old a deal worth $180 million? Arthur Blank is surely expecting some sort of return on his investment. A postseason berth seems like the bare minimum, but I would go further and guess that Atlanta’s owner would be disappointed with a one-and-done playoff appearance.
As of right now, the Falcons don’t have a roster that can seriously compete for a Super Bowl because of the defense. Jimmy Lake may be a miracle worker, but I don’t see a depth chart that can hold up its end of the bargain.
The most concerning aspect is one that’s been relevant for what feels like a lifetime — Atlanta’s pass rush. The Falcons didn’t do anything to address what was an average pass rush from a year ago. Actually, they didn’t even stick with the status quo.
The 2023 sack leaders are currently on the free agent market in Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree. It feels like the Falcons have had chances to acquire a game-changing pass rusher and have balked for whatever reason.
Thanks to the imaginations of Jason Fitz and Frank Schwab of Yahoo! Sports, the Falcons fix the long-standing problem emphatically, making a blockbuster trade for Micah Parsons, sending Bijan Robinson to Dallas.
“The Falcons need a pass rusher … Cowboys don’t know how to pay all their guys, and what do they need? They need a really good running back … The Cowboys go to the Falcons and trade Micah Parsons for Bijan Robinson,” he said.
It’s true. The Cowboys do need a running back, and the Falcons do need a pass rusher. Moreover, Dallas can’t afford to pay CeeDee Lamb, Dak Prescott, and Micah Parsons $30+ million per year like they are trending towards. That’s never happened before. However, it would take a hell of a lot more than Robinson to pry Parsons out of D Town.
“Now, this is the dumbest trade offer I’ve ever come up with, and the Falcons would have to throw in some picks and whatnot … But the Cowboys can’t pay all these guys,” he added.
The Falcons would have to trade at least one first-round pick in addition to other draft capital with Bijan Robinson for Micah Parsons. Even then, I don’t see the Cowboys entertaining moving one of the best pass rushers in the NFL.
If it came down to it, I would ship CeeDee Lamb out of Dallas in favor of paying Parsons. If the Falcons were able to work out a deal, a subsequent contract extension would soon follow, one that would pay him around what the 49ers paid Nick Bosa, which was a five-year deal worth $170 million, or $34 million per year.
It’s quite a hefty price, considering the Falcons would have to give up Bijan Robinson, a first-round pick, and more, along with the biggest contract in NFL history for a pass rusher, but it’s still a no-brainer for a talent like Micah Parsons.
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