Raheem Morris addresses Falcons' QB situation with scathing remark
The Atlanta Falcons hold the eighth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, a position they've maintained for the past three years. The team's approach to this pick remains uncertain, but if a quarterback they favor is available, expect new head coach Raheem Morris to give the position strong consideration.
In response to a question about the team's contention prospects Tuesday, Morris was blunt, telling the media, "If we had better quarterback play, I might not be standing here at the podium."
While some may view his critique as harsh, Morris has a point. Despite finishing ninth in rushing yards per game, the Falcons were one of four teams in the top 15 to not make the playoffs. The others were the Bears, Colts and Cardinals. Those three teams each had their starting QB miss at least four games due to injury.
Falcons starting quarterback Desmond Ridder missed games this past season, but not due to injury. The second-year player was benched twice during a tumultuous season. Ridder finished the season with 12 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and 26th in QBR. He also finished 30th of 32 QBs in Pro Football Focus' quarterback rankings.
His replacement, Taylor Heinicke, was not much better, throwing for five touchdowns and four interceptions in the five games he played. Altogether, the Falcons finished in the bottom five for completion percentage and bottom six for QB rating, highlighting shortcomings during previous head coach Arthur Smith's era.
GM Terry Fontenot has also weighed in on the quarterback situation, indicating the team is open to various possibilities, whether it be a veteran or a young player, per NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are among the veteran quarterbacks linked to the Falcons.
As a primarily defensive-minded coach, Morris recognizes he’s going to need all the help he can get to fix the quarterback situation. He claims to have surrounded himself with 19 quarterback coaches on his staff, among them new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who Morris brought with him from the Los Angeles Rams.
The Falcons have many options coming into the draft. They can be aggressive and trade up to grab one of the big three quarterbacks headlining the draft class (USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye or LSU's Jayden Daniels).
Atlanta could also stay put, selecting the best player available at a position of need, such as edge-rusher Dallas Turner of Alabama, and trade for Fields if the Bears decide to take Williams with the first overall pick. Or the Falcons can trade down to load up on assets and see if they can draft a QB later.
One thing is certain, however: Atlanta can't start the season with Ridder or Heinicke at QB.
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