3 Problems with the Atlanta Falcons trading for Lamar Jackson

3. Atlanta doesn’t need Lamar Jackson to win the NFC

Matthew Stafford, Jalen Hurts, Brock Purdy, and Jimmy G. are the last four quarterbacks to start the NFC title game. While Hurts and Stafford are clearly franchise quarterbacks neither will have the strong roster to lean on that they did in runs to the Super Bowl in the last two seasons.

With Aaron Rodgers still not having a clear landing spot who is the best quarterback in the NFC or for that matter the best team? The Eagles have an argument for both as defending NFC champs but will be faced with losing a number of impact players and a possible Super Bowl hangover.

The NFC is as wide open as it has ever been leaving room for the Falcons to compete without a player like Lamar Jackson. San Francisco has consistently proven over the last half-decade you don’t need the best quarterback on the field to win the NFC you simply need the best roster. Jimmy G. who has a reputation as the pure opposite of clutch the 49ers still made a Super Bowl and was on a San Franciso team that has made three of the last four NFC championships.

If not for a dropped interception the 49ers would have been to the Super Bowl twice and looked to be a match for the Eagles this past season before both Brock Purdy and Josh Johnson were knocked out of the game with Trey Lance and Jimmy G. already on the shelf.

The point here being the best sustainable way for the Falcons to compete in the NFC is to pattern themselves after San Francisco taking advantage of the team’s cap space and focused not on landing one-star player but on building a complete team capable of competing in a wide-open NFC.