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The Falcons are among the teams to watch on the quarterback market this offseason, either through the acquisition of a veteran passer or a rookie via the draft.
A firm course of action has yet to be determined, but the organization has a move of some kind high on the to-do list.
Atlanta has 2022 third-round pick Desmond Ridder on his rookie contract for two more seasons. The team brought in veteran Taylor Heinicke last offseason on a two-year, $14M deal to provide insurance, but neither signal-caller lived up to expectations in 2023.
The latter can be released in a move yielding nearly $7M in cap savings and only $2M in dead cap charges. Regardless of if that happens, though, the Falcons will need to find a starting-caliber option this spring.
“That’s a top priority for us this offseason,” general manager Terry Fontenot confirmed during an appearance on NFL Media's NFL Report. “We are not going to close any doors. Be it trades, free agency [or] the draft. We’ll make sure we keep an open mind there. We’ll attack it and make sure that we get it right.”
At this point on the NFL calendar, team executives would generally be expected to keep their options as open as possible when making public remarks.
Still, it is notable the Falcons are not leaving any avenue off the table concerning adding a passer. Aside from Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield, few quarterbacks are set to hit the open market who could be worth a lucrative, multi-year investment.
On the trade front, Atlanta has been named as a team that could be a landing spot for Bears QB Justin Fields. Chicago has yet to commit to retaining or dealing Fields, but the latter option would present the Falcons (and other interested teams) with a young passer who could be under team control through at least 2025 via the fifth-year option.
Set to pick eighth overall, Atlanta will be out of the range of the top QB draft prospects barring a trade up, but the team will still have options to consider in April.
For the time being, the Falcons have roughly $25M in cap space. That figure will change during the cost-cutting season, but finances should be less of an issue for Atlanta than other QB-needy teams around the league given the inexpensive nature of the incumbent passers.
Other roster holes such as receiver and edge-rusher will need to be addressed this offseason, but an addition under center remains front of mind for Fontenot and Co. with roughly one month remaining until the new league year.
More must-reads:
- Terry Fontenot on what he’s learned during tenure as Falcons GM
- Hypothetical trade for the Falcons to land Jayden Daniels
- The 'NFL QBs with the most career rushing touchdowns' quiz
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Browns reporter says rookie is 'not an NFL QB'
As of the first Monday of August, there was no indication that 2025 third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel or 2025 fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders had any real chance to emerge as the Cleveland Browns' Week 1 starting quarterback. During a Monday morning appearance on Cleveland sports radio station 92.3 The Fan, Browns reporter Daryl Ruiter offered quite a worrisome update regarding how Gabriel has looked during training camp practices. "He's not good," Ruiter said about Gabriel. "He's not an NFL quarterback. Not right now, and the fact that they keep running him out there for first-team reps ... they're cramming this guy down our throats, and it's not good." Numerous NFL analysts viewed Gabriel as a third-day selection before the Browns made him the 94th overall pick of this year's draft. The perception, up until Sanders was held out of Saturday's practice due to arm soreness, was that he has been the team's fourth-choice option at the position behind Gabriel, Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco. All signs are reportedly pointing to Flacco getting the start for Cleveland's Week 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. Gabriel is listed at 5-foot-11, but some who cover the team have expressed doubts about that measurement. It seems that a lack of desirable size for playing the position in the pros isn't all that's gone against Gabriel this summer. "It's not a height thing," Ruiter continued. "It's not personal. He's rolling out and can't hit guys who are wide open. He's not all that great, at times, in the warmup periods. ... He's just not a good quarterback." Ruiter said that he feels Gabriel "has no business being in contention to start a football game" for the Browns this season. "It's god awful when he's on the field," Ruiter added. Browns general manager Andrew Berry revealed in late July that he could stash all four active quarterbacks on the roster for at least Week 1. For an article published on Sunday night, Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand wrote that there's "zero chance" either Gabriel or Sanders will be cut this summer. Perhaps Gabriel will look better when he sees some action in Cleveland's preseason opener at the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 8. That said, it sounds like fans should keep their expectations low for Gabriel's unofficial debut this coming Friday.
Kevin Love reportedly has preferred buyout destination
Kevin Love is eyeing a return to his roots. The five-time NBA All-Star big man Love has a preferred destination on the buyout market, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Tuesday. Love would like to end up in Los Angeles. Now 36 years old, Love spent the last two-and-a-half seasons with the Miami Heat. He averaged just 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds over 10.9 minutes per game in 2024-25 but still managed to shoot 35.8 percent from three on the year. Earlier this summer however, the Heat traded Love to the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team blockbuster deal. Now Love, a 17-year NBA veteran, is pursuing a contract buyout from the rebuilding Jazz. Though he is a native of Lake Oswego, Oregon, Love played his college ball in Los Angeles at UCLA. He also has ties to both L.A. teams — he won an NBA championship with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and was also coached on that team by Tyronn Lue, who is now head coach of the L.A. Clippers. Both the Lakers and Clippers are currently sitting at 14 guaranteed contracts each. While they still have spots for two-way and Exhibit 10 players, that means the Lakers and Clippers are both down to their final open roster spot. The ex-rebounding leader Love still has some value, though probably more so as a jokester than as a contributing rotation piece. While Love clearly wants a homecoming to Los Angeles, he may have some convincing to do for either the Lakers or the Clippers to give him that final open roster spot.
Celtics’ Georges Niang Trade Wasn’t Just About Salary Dump
The Boston Celtics have made yet another curious offseason move, trading 32-year-old 3-point specialist Georges Niang and two second-round picks to the Utah Jazz in exchange for RJ Luis Jr., an undrafted rookie on a two-way contract. On the surface, this trade was more or less a salary dump. While a rebuilding team, the Jazz are expected to absorb Niang’s 2024-25 salary ($8.2 million) in the trade exception they generated from shipping John Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers. This reduced Boston’s luxury tax by $50 million, according Third Apron salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan. For their efforts, the Jazz not only got a pair of second-rounders but a veteran that can teach their young players the nuances of professionalism. Celtics’ Georges Niang Trade Wasn’t Just About Salary Dump Though the Celtics obviously wanted to reduce their bill, the deal wasn’t just about that. Boston genuinely wanted Luis, per ZAGSBLOG draft expert Adam Zagoria. With that in mind, he entered the 2025 NBA Draft out of St. John’s, he played his freshman season at local UMass. That season, he averaged 11.5 points per game on 45.5 percent from the field. He also earned 10 starts, averaging 15.5 points per game in those contests. As a junior in 2024-25, Luis exploded for 18.2 points per game. His season ended on a low note. In a nine-point loss to Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32, he went just 3-17 from the field, scoring nine points. Nonetheless, his body of work shouldn’t be overshadowed by the last sentence. Nor should the pedigree he enters the NBA with. In 2024-25, he was a Consensus All-American. His father, Reggie Charles, was a professional basketball player who spent 15 seasons overseas. For the last two seasons of his college career, he was coached by Rick Pitino. The Celtics undoubtedly have a complex history with their former head coach but there’s no denying his greatness at the collegiate level. What Can RJ Luis Jr. Bring To The Celtics? Flawed though he may be, Luis is a good get for Boston, especially on a two-way contract. With Jayson Tatum likely to miss at least the first half of 2025-26 after tearing his Achilles in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the Celtics have a lot of minutes to fill in at forward. As a result, players like 2023 No. 38 pick Jordan Walsh and 2025 No. 28 pick Hugo Gonzalez have a real chance of barging into the rotation. In a vacuum, they’re both rotation-caliber forwards but they’re raw, particularly offensively. That being said, if they’re trying to step into Tatum’s shoes, their limitations at that end are problematic. Tatum’s one of the most dangerous scorers in the league, averaging 27.5 points per game over the past five seasons. Luis probably won’t explode onto the season looking like a perennial All-Star. Still, he’s a more masterful scorer than either Walsh or Gonzalez right now. In the open court, he’s exciting, like many athletic wings with his length (6-foot-7). Yet, he’s not refined to impacting the game on the break. In the halfcourt, he’s able to use his handle and footwork to create space whether in the drive or in the post. Indeed, utilizing his instincts and body control, he’s actually pretty nifty with the ball in his hands. He even follows up his own shot, leading to frequent putbacks. Though he doesn’t have elite efficiency in any area, he’s a multifaceted offensive player who also has a knack for playmaking, particularly with regard to pocket passes. To improve his efficiency, he should cut down on his off-the-dribble attempts due to his tendency to take tough jumpers. All the same, while Boston waits for Tatum to return, the 22-year-old could play an important role.
Raiders Named Team That Might Be Willing to Pay Price for Micah Parson Trade
The Dallas Cowboys aren't eager to trade star pass rusher Micah Parsons since he recently requested one, but if he flatly refuses to play for the team ever again, there's not much they can do. If the Cowboys start to consider a trade, there will be no shortage of teams trying to get him. However, only a handful of teams could realistically trade for him and then afford to give him big money. While the Las Vegas Raiders already have Maxx Crosby on the roster and under a massive contract, they are a team that could have the means to swing a deal for Parsons. What Will Parsons Cost in a Trade? In order to convince the Cowboys to trade Parsons, it's going to take a massive offer. Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports spoke to some people around the NFL to get an idea of what the cost would be. "You’re talking about the best, most consistent defensive player in the game," an NFC personnel executive told Vacchiano. "And it’s possible he hasn’t approached his ceiling yet, especially as a pass rusher. That’s got to be worth a couple of first-round picks. "Maybe more." The executive went on to tell Vacchiano that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones could even push for three first-round picks. Should Raiders Trade for Parsons? If the Parsons does end up costing three first-round picks, then the Raiders can't realistically consider that. There are too many holes on the roster, and they may want to use one of those picks on a quarterback in the near future. That said, Vacchiano believes that the Raiders are one of the teams that could have the means to pull off a deal. "A great way to do that would be to build one of the most dominant pass rushes in the NFL, which might be what they have if they paired Parsons with Maxx Crosby," Vacchiano wrote. "Those two have more quarterback pressures than anyone else in the past four seasons. "There’s still a long way to go for a team that went 4-13 last season, and Parsons alone won’t make them a championship contender. But he’ll make their defense instantly formidable. And with about $38 million in cap space this year and more than $100 million in 2026, the Raiders can pay Parsons and still have a lot left over to add more." Parsons and Crosby would form a ferocious pass rushing duo that might be one of the best in NFL history.
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