While Arthur Smith’s job is in question, Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke‘s are not. The Falcons will be in the market for a quarterback this offseason, maybe multiple.
Most fans want the regime to find the next franchise quarterback in the draft, and it’s for good reason. Not often do clubs find the long-term solution any other way. There are plenty of prospects that have superstar potential like Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels, all of whom would require the Falcons to trade up for in the draft.
Then there’s the next tier of prospects like Michael Penix Jr, J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix, who certainly need time to develop and would benefit from sitting behind a veteran. Honestly, you could even put Daniels in that same category as well.
If that’s the path the Falcons take, bringing in a free agent veteran would behoove the youngster. The only problem is the options are scarce. Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield, and Ryan Tannehill headline the free agent class.
Russell Wilson is probably more in line with Arthur Smith’s system than Kirk Cousins, but the latter is undoubtedly the most inspiring option. And apparently, the Falcons are a team “to keep an eye on” in the Cousins sweepstakes.
Drafting a guy like Jayden Daniels and signing Kirk Cousins wouldn’t make too much sense. The reigning Heisman trophy winner has an entirely different skill set, and if it were the path taken, Russell Wilson would be a much better mentor for Daniels because of the closer skill sets.
As I write this, I’ve convinced myself that the best path moving forward is to bring in a proven veteran and draft a potential long-term solution. Not a third-round pick, though; I’m talking about a marquee free agent and a first-round quarterback.
More must-reads: