NFL insider says Atlanta Falcons will make play for No. 1 pick in draft

Much of the discussion around the Atlanta Falcons has been about whether or not Desmond Ridder will be their long-term starter at quarterback, and if he isn’t, would the team pull off an earth-shaking trade for Lamar Jackson.

Lost in all of this has been the other scenario, would the Falcons consider making a different splash by handing the Bears some assets in exchange for the first-overall pick—well, one of the top NFL insiders stated that they will.

Ian Rapoport specifically says the Atlanta Falcons will try to acquire the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft

This is big news because we haven’t heard too much about what the Atlanta Falcons might do in the coming months. Many of us have assumed that they will either stick with Desmond Ridder or aggressively pursue Lamar Jackson, but now it appears there is a third option—trading up seven spots to land the top pick.

Ian Rapoport took to the mic to discuss the chatter around the most sought-after pick in the draft. He states that the Chicago Bears have made it clear that they are willing to trade down and that the Atlanta Falcons are interested.

His statement insinuates he has specifically heard that the Atlanta Falcons will attempt to pull off a huge trade for the right to draft any eligible player they want.

Everybody’s first inclination is to say they are targeting a quarterback, which is a strong assumption and the most probable intention but are we sure about that?

The Falcons have been searching for a franchise pass rusher for many years, and it is conceivable that they would want one of the most highly touted players at the position in Will Anderson Jr. It is a position they have to figure out; giving up assets to bring in a sure star (if you can ever call a prospect a sure thing) like Anderson might just be the intent.

Ultimately, though, it is likely for a quarterback. While I would argue that if you are going to give up draft picks for a QB then go get an established player like Lamar Jackson.

Nonetheless, teams place value on having a quarterback on a rookie contract. Bryce Young makes the most sense but Anthony Richardson out of Florida might also be in play.

No matter what happens, it appears the Falcons are not just going to sit around and play things safe. They are proving that their failed pursuit and avoided disaster of acquiring Deshaun Watson last year isn’t going to scare them away from making more aggressive moves. Could trading for the first-overall pick be their next big move? Only time will tell.