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Falcons Trade Grade: Moore Gets Mixed Reviews

Originally posted on FanNation Falcon Report
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated 3/15/24

The Atlanta Falcons are busy on the trade market, acquiring receiver Rondale Moore from the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for quarterback Desmond Ridder.

The move came after the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a massive four-year deal, ending the need for Ridder to be under center.

Now, the Falcons are turning Ridder into a target for his successor in Cousins by trading for Moore.

However, Bleacher Report questions how strong the move will end up for the Falcons. The outlet gave the Falcons a 'B-' in their initial trade grade while the Cardinals received a 'B'.

"He has shown flashes of being dangerous with the ball in his hands. But since the Cardinals took him with a second-round pick in 2021, Moore's numbers have declined in each season. He caught a career-low 40 passes for 352 yards and one touchdown last year," Bleacher Report writes.

Perhaps a change of scenery and some consistency at the quarterback position that he didn't have in Arizona will help Moore thrive in Atlanta. Needless to say, the Falcons needed to make some space in the quarterback room and they chose to keep Taylor Heinicke as Cousins' backup instead of Ridder, Atlanta's third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Perhaps Cousins can unlock the potential Moore flashed at Purdue and in his rookie year, leading him to earning a potential raise when he hits free agency in a year from now.

This article first appeared on FanNation Falcon Report and was syndicated with permission.

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