Three players the Atlanta Falcons should trade by the deadline
By Ross Terrell
The Atlanta Falcons would be foolish so watch the NFL trade deadline go by without making a move.
With a 1-6 record, an aging quarterback, and a new coach and general manager on the way, the Atlanta Falcons need as much draft and salary capital as they can get.
Here are three candidates the Falcons should look into moving on from.
Dante Fowler, Jr.
Yes, he’s played just seven games with the Atlanta Falcons. He also signed a three-year, $45 million deal this offseason.
Falcons fans should know an unreliable pass rusher when they see one and Fowler looks like Vic Beasley with a different jersey number. In five out of the Falcons first seven games, Fowler has played at least 70 percent of the defensive snaps. What does he have to show for it?
Just one sack and 15 total tackles.
One and that’s two half sacks in two different games. That’s not what you pay $45 million for an edge rusher for. Fowler is also still young and with market setting contracts for defensive ends, he has a team-friendly deal.
The Falcons would be smart to flip him for a third-round pick while getting some much-needed salary relief. The entire defensive line needs to be rebuilt around Grady Jarrett and neither Fowler nor Takk McKinley are long term answers.
Atlanta has a crowded running back room, with four running backs on the roster. That’s a lot of personnel for a team that is tied for the third-worst rushing yards per carry in the NFL at 3.8.
Todd Gurley and Brian Hill have been the go-to backs. Ito Smith has played a combined 23 snaps over the past three games and has just 12 carries for 41 yards on the year. But he’s shown in his short career, given more opportunity he can kind of make a splash.
This isn’t much for salary help as he’s only owed $920,000 next year. But running backs come out of the draft with high frequency nowadays. If the Falcons are committed to Todd Gurley for at least the next year, it would make sense to break up the room and get some more draft capital.
Smith isn’t going to return much in this field but the 49ers could be a partner here as they have a couple running backs on injured reserve. Smith for a fourth and fifth-round pick wouldn’t be a bad move.
Raheem Morris may think Oliver shows improvement every day on the practice field, but that doesn’t translate to Sundays. Any NFL quarterbacks eyes light up when they see him on their opposing receiver and the Falcons secondary is atrocious.
This season is a wash. Atlanta can continue to get AJ Terrell time against number ones, allow Kendall Sheffield and Blidi Wreh-Wilson to hold down the other ends, and wait for Darqueze Dennard to return. Oliver, like McKinley, is more of a liability than anything else. He makes Robert Alford look like a shutdown player.
Next. A couple of good games despite the terrible loss. dark
There would be some team willing to take on a young project. He could learn from the Steelers defense or under Stephon Gilmore in New England. Like Smith, Oliver may get you a third or fourth-round pick max, but the Atlanta Falcons need as many picks they can give to the next regime. A rebuild in Atlanta is well underway.