We don’t know if Arthur Smith will be the head coach of the Falcons next season, but we do know that Taylor Heinicke and Desmond Ridder won’t be starting at quarterback.
Heinicke and Ridder have consistently held the offense back with their turnovers. This has been the case for the veteran for his entire career; he’s a gunslinger, so it shouldn’t be all too surprising, but the 2022 third-round pick has shown no signs of improvement over the course of a full season.
The Falcons have yet to invest significant assets in the quarterback position, and Smith may lose his job because of it. A couple of backup-caliber free-agent contracts and a third-round pick is chump change considering what most franchise quarterbacks cost.
There are a few different avenues Terry Fontenot can take this offseason. Most Falcons fans prefer drafting a quarterback. Three prospects will surely require the club to trade up the draft — Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. The latter two are probably locks to be two of the three first picks, and the reigning Heisman might sneak into the top five.
The Falcons have plenty of draft capital to make a move for one of them, though. They could also use that arsenal of picks to trade for a guy like Justin Fields, but that is a much trickier route to take.
Fields’ fifth-year option will need to be exercised this offseason, which is a difficult decision when he’s never played a down in Atlanta. The Falcons would then have to sign him to a new deal, forgoing the most valuable thing in this sport — a rookie quarterback contract.
Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield and Ryan Tannehill headline an underwhelming free-agent class. It might not be what Falcons fans want, but if Arthur Smith is coaching for his job in 2024, putting his eggs in a rookie’s or Justin Field’s basket seems risky. A veteran like Kirk Cousins could step in and immediately take this team to the postseason.
If you ask Falcons great Roddy White, he prefers the hometown hero — Justin Fields.
On paper, the fit makes sense, but the complexity of his contract situation cannot be overlooked. Moreover, Fields will have no shortage of suitors if the Bears do shop him. The Falcons will have to potentially part ways with one or two second-round picks for what could potentially be a one-year rental if he doesn’t show enough in 2024.
There is a risk with acquiring Fields, but that’s the case with any of these scenarios.
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