Would the Atlanta Falcons be contenders with Jimmy Garoppolo?

One of the most confusing stories following the Atlanta Falcons this past off-season was their speculated interest in San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Despite already having Desmond Ridder and Marcus Mariota under contract the Falcons were recently tied to Jimmy G when it was announced the front office had given him permission to seek out a trade.

Atlanta would have made a bit of sense for Jimmy before the team drafted rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder. They were looking for a bridge quarterback and only had Marcus Mariota under contract.  Bringing in Jimmy G or Baker Mayfield (pre-Carolina trade) would have made sense if the team didn’t plan to draft a quarterback.

However, the team opted to take Ridder in the third round and has given every indication he will start the season on the Atlanta bench.  This leaves little room for the champion of quarterback wins Jimmy Garoppolo to find a role with the Falcons.

From Atlanta’s perspective would acquiring Jimmy help the team take a step forward? Would it make the Falcons a playoff contender?  The answer is obviously no despite the fact he would be an upgrade over Mariota.

Trading for Jimmy isn’t going to make the Atlanta Falcons sudden contenders. At best it allows the team to find an extra win or two and could cost them the draft spot they need to find their quarterback of the future.

Atlanta’s reported interest in both Deshaun Watson and Jimmy Garoppolo has made little sense for a team who is going into a rebuilding year. Atlanta needs to find a quarterback they can pay in the future one that allows them to build a strong roster and have a chance to return to the playoffs even with a mid-tier quarterback. Garoppolo does nothing for this team except perhaps make the 2022 season a bit more watchable.

Long term he limits Ridder and Atlanta’s ability to find a real solution at the quarterback position. Trading for Jimmy is a mistake the Atlanta front office should not make for a player who doesn’t push Atlanta any closer to being a contending team.