3 Ways the Atlanta Falcons have botched the off-season

1. What direction is this team really heading in?

Early on this off-season, the front office reinforced veteran Matt Ryan as the starting quarterback unless a trade offer blew them away Ryan was their guy. It turns out all they needed to be blown away was the Colt’s second-best pick.. in the third round. That is what it took to part ways with Matt despite the front office stating earlier in the off-season that Matt was their guy.

There is also the fact that the front office told the fans they would attempt to compete while working on reloading the roster. The moves that have followed this statement are moves of a rebuilding team.

The nature of the business of the NFL leaves coaches and GMs with little choice but to not be completely forthcoming when answering the media. It is an artform of answering a question without actually ever answering the question. Most fans understand this and are willing to accept the fact that answers will not always be straightforward.

There is a difference, however, between business answers most front offices give and what Atlanta has done this off-season.  They have said they are attempting to compete while their moves scream they are a rebuilding team competing for a top-five pick next season. When your words and moves don’t line up fans quickly become disgruntled and after the Matt Ryan trade this Atlanta regime may not have long to prove they know what they are doing despite the incompetence it appears to be.