Although we are unsure of Arthur Smith’s status as the Falcons’ head coach for the upcoming campaign, we do know that Taylor Heinicke and Desmond Ridder will not start at quarterback.
Because of their turnovers, Heinicke and Ridder have continuously held the offensive back. The veteran has always performed this way; given that he is a gunslinger, it should come as no surprise, but over the course of a complete season, the 2022 third-round pick has not improved.
Because the Falcons haven’t committed much resources to the quarterback position, Arthur Smith might not be able to keep his job. With the price of most franchise quarterbacks, a few backup-caliber free agency contracts and a third-round selection are pitiful compensation.
Terry Fontenot has several options to choose from throughout this offseason. Most Falcons supporters would rather choose a quarterback. The team will undoubtedly need to move up in the draft to acquire Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams, and Drake Maye. The current Heisman Trophy winner may slip into the top five, and the other two are very certainly going to be two of the three first picks.
However, the Falcons have enough draft money to pursue one of them. They could also trade for a player like Justin Fields using that cache of selections, but that would be a much more difficult course of action.
Given that Fields has never played a down for Atlanta, it will be difficult to decide whether to exercise his fifth-year option this offseason. The Falcons would then have to give up on the most prized commodity in this sport — a rookie quarterback contract — and sign him to a new agreement.
The star players in an unimpressive class of free agents are Baker Mayfield, Ryan Tannehill, Kirk Cousins, and Russell Wilson. While that may not be what Falcons supporters desire, it seems unwise to put all of your eggs in the hands of a rookie like Justin Field if Arthur Smith is coaching for his job in 2024. Kirk Cousins is an experienced player who may take over and lead this club to the postseason right away.
The legendary Roddy White of the Falcons says he likes hometown hero Justin Fields.
Although the fit seems reasonable on paper, it is important to consider the complexity of his contract situation. If the Bears decide to shop Fields, he will not be short on admirers. If he doesn’t perform well enough in 2024, the Falcons may have to part with one or two second-round picks for what could amount to a one-year rental.
Purchasing Justin Fields carries some risk, but that is the case in all of these situations.
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