Atlanta Falcons won’t take drafting a quarterback off the table
Atlanta Falcons won’t take drafting a quarterback off the table
The Atlanta Falcons possess the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and anticipation is building to find out exactly how they’ll use that top-five selection.
Some believe the Falcons will trade back and gain more draft capital. Others think they’ll go with a defensive player who can help bolster that unit. Still, others think they’ll take a quarterback to sit behind Matt Ryan for a year or two with the hopes of becoming the next franchise QB.
No matter what you think the Atlanta Falcons should do with the pick, the truth is that owner Arthur Blank isn’t taking anything off the table.
In a virtual meeting with reporters earlier this week, Blank talked about the franchise moving forward and what it might look like.
Blank said that he has studied the transition of quarterbacks in the NFL and noted that a transition “doesn’t have to be overnight.” Blank mentioned Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady as examples of quarterbacks who were drafted, waited their turn and then eventually became franchise-changing leaders.
"“I’m not the person who’s going to take the card off the board,” Blank said via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “That’s not my job. It’s my job to have people that think about all of those things. That is my job.”"
Atlanta Falcons are going to take the ‘best player available,’ could that be a quarterback?
Blank went on to say that GM Terry Fontenot’s philosophy- as we’ve heard- is going to be to take the ‘best player available.’ The Atlanta Falcons aren’t going to pigeon-hole themselves into a corner and expect to succeed.
Instead, they’re going to look at the entire board and try to make the best decision to make the best franchise possible. After all, ‘best player available’ is quite the vague phrase.
Blank did mention that the Falcons need to establish a running game and that the group will be looking for a running back this offseason.
The only question, really, is if the ‘best player available’ will be a quarterback? Will the Falcons take a chance on a player who could be their future franchise leader when there are needs for this current team?
Next. The argument for trading back in 2021 NFL Draft. dark
That’s the question many are holding their breath to find out.