Will adding six former first round picks fix the Atlanta Falcons?

Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff seems to think that collecting high draft picks will make the franchise a winner in 2020.

When a plan is not in place, people panic and start making all types of errors hoping that something will eventually stick. You know the cliché – turning chicken crap into chicken salad. Seemingly that is exactly what Dimitroff is doing in order to salvage his job with Atlanta Falcons.

Will it work? No one knows for sure, but many are hoping that it does.

On Thursday, the Atlanta Falcons announced that they had signed former first-round pick and hybrid linebacker/safety Deone Bucannon to a one year deal.

If you aren’t keeping count, that is six former first-round picks that the Atlanta Falcons have added to their roster for the 2020 season. Sure, that gets the fans excited and makes them feel like the team is trying to improve, but are they?

Those six former first-round picks have played for a collective 15 teams when they take their first snap for the Atlanta Falcons. There is an argument that a change of scenery will help players like Hayden Hurst and Charles Harris, but what about Todd Gurley, Dante Fowler, Deone Bucannon, and Laquon Treadwell?

Todd Gurley is no longer with the Rams because he could not stay healthy and justify his contract, the Falcons are Dante Fowler’s third team since he was drafted in 2015, Deone Bucannon is now on his fourth team and Laquon Treadwell was cut last year by the Vikings and then brought back. Prior to being resigned by the Vikings, no one had offered Treadwell.

There is definitely a lot of buyers beware regarding these six former first-round selections and a lot of hope that somehow this collection of misfits will become something greater than they have been.

Both Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Dan Quinn are betting their futures with the franchise on it.