The Falcons may have a potential trade partner in the NFL Draft

Peter King is usually pretty spot on with these things, and I wouldn’t be shocked if teams are looking to swoop in and snag the talented Carter if he does fall down draft boards. The Bears are likely still very interested in Carter, so perhaps Pittsburgh would need to jump them to get him. The Steelers would make a lot of sense, especially if the Falcons are sold on Bijan Robinson or Nolan Smith — two players they could potentially grab with the 17th pick.

Personally, if I was the Falcons, I would just grab Carter and call it a first round. However, I’m always open to trading down, and they did add a ton of talent along the defensive front. By moving back to 17, I think the Falcons could get a first-round pick next year, but at the very least, they can get a second-round selection. That’s especially important because if Desmond Ridder isn’t truly “the guy”, they will have more ammunition to either trade for a disgruntled quarterback or move up to the top of the draft to complete the roster.

The Falcons will still have plenty of money next offseason, so I think trading back and potentially grabbing another first round pick is a move worth exploring, especially if they can still get their guy at that spot.