Five Wide Receiver Trade Options for Atlanta Falcons

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga – The Atlanta Falcons are set to take on the struggling Miami Dolphins on Sunday, looking to get back on the right side of .500 this season. Looking beyond this game, the Falcons will have a few areas of potential need they may want to address. 

The NFL’s November 4th trade deadline is less than two weeks away, and the Falcons could look to be aggressive in solving some potential holes. The most pressing need may be the depth in the wide receiver room. 

Just yesterday, the team announced that they parted ways with slot receiver Ray-Ray McCloud. The wideout signed with the Falcons in 2024, before enjoying a breakout campaign. He finished with career-highs across the board, pulling in 62 catches for 686 yards and a touchdown. 

The 2025 season had been a different story for McCloud, with him accounting for just six catches and 64 yards on the season. He was a healthy scratch in each of the Falcons’ last two games before the pair parted ways on Tuesday.

After this move, the Falcons are left with some decisions to make at wide receiver.

They will now have six players remaining in that room, but just four who primarily play on offense. London and Darnell Mooney, who returned on Sunday with three catches for 68 yards, make up the primary options for the Falcons, but they also feature Casey Washington and David Sills V.

KhaDarel Hodge has lined up in that role for them before, but only in situations where there are injuries in front of him. Jamal Agnew is a return specialist and has not lined up on offense. 

The Falcons hoped that Washington would be able to take on a larger role for them this season after a strong camp, but he fought through a concussion early in the season and has not made a major impact since returning to the field. On Sunday, the former sixth-round pick was outsnapped by Sills 29 to 11 in. 

They have Chris Blair, Nick Nash, Dylan Drummond, and Deven Thompkins (who has been called up to the active roster before this season) on the practice squad, but any significant impact from them this season should not be expected. 

Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts have also stepped into more prominent roles in the receiving game, but the Falcons really only have two primary options at wide receiver. While Mooney and London can be a dynamic duo (if they are healthy), Atlanta is dangerously thin at the position. 

With a young quarterback under center, ensuring he has enough weapons down the field could prove to be crucial down the stretch. 

Atlanta has little to spare in terms of draft capital, having already traded their first and fifth round in transactions for James Pearce Jr. and Xavier Watts, but they could still be aggressive with their five remaining selections. They could also offer up a player on an expiring deal (like Arnold Ebiketie or Kirk Cousins). 

Here are a handful of options they could pursue. 

What does it cost?

If the Falcons were to trade for a wideout, here are a few examples since 2022 of what it could cost:

2024: Texans acquire Stefon Diggs from the Bills

• Texans receive: WR Stefon Diggs, 2024 sixth-round draft pick, 2025 fifth-round draft pick 
• Bills receive: 2025 second-round draft pick

2022: Jaguars acquire Calvin Ridley from the Falcons

• Jaguars receive: WR Calvin Ridley 
• Falcons receive: 2023 fifth-round draft pick, 2024 third-round draft pick

2022: Cardinals acquire Marquise Brown from Ravens

• Cardinals receive: WR Marquise Brown, 2022 third-round draft pick 
• Ravens receive: 2022 first-round draft pick

2022: Eagles acquire A.J. Brown from Titans

• Eagles receive: WR A.J. Brown 
• Titans receive: 2022 first- and third-round draft picks

2022: Dolphins acquire Tyreek Hill from the Chiefs

• Dolphins receive: WR Tyreek Hill 
• Chiefs receive: 2022 first, second, and fourth-round draft picks, 2023 fourth- and sixth-round draft picks

2022: Raiders acquire Davante Adams from the Packers

• Raiders receive: WR Davante Adams 
• Packers receive: 2022 first- and second-round draft picks

2022: Browns acquire Amari Cooper from the Cowboys 

• Browns receive: Amari Cooper, 2022 sixth-round draft pick 
• Cowboys receive: 2022 fifth- and sixth-round draft picks

Several of these players would have been considered elite or borderline elite players at their positions. Also, the majority of these players were acquired in the offseason. In some cases, though, it is not as expensive as some would lead you to believe.

If a seller is looking to dump a player, the Falcons may be there to take advantage. 

Tyler Lockett