There were some bumps in the road, but Michael Penix Jr. has managed to cement his status as the quarterback of the future for the Atlanta Falcons. After fans anticipated a quarterback controversy following Week 3, Penix silenced the doubters with his two best outings as a starting quarterback—and managed to out-shine Josh Allen on primetime.
His connection with Drake London flashed, but the rest of the receiver room has been incredibly underwhelming. Darnell Mooney has been off to a slow start in Year 2 with the Dirty Birds, while none of Casey Washington, Ray-Ray McCloud, or KhaDarrel Hodge are viable starting options.
This means that Terry Fontenot's next move should be obvious. Several teams have been making their top receivers available ahead of the deadline, and the potential movement of players like Christian Kirk, Romeo Doubs, and Chris Olave should make for an intriguing next few weeks.
Obviously, Olave isn't a viable option, but Atlanta's window for contention is open now—and they can't let it close—so a move must be made to maximize Penix's potential.
4 win-now trade targets the Falcons must pursue to help Michael Penix Jr. succeed
1. Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns
This is a name Falcons fans know all too well, as Jeudy won the Biletnikoff Award during his time at Alabama. In his first season in Cleveland in 2024, he recorded career-highs in both receptions (90) and receiving yards (1,229)—though a good chunk of it came in one game against Denver.
As usual, the 1-5 Browns are an absolute dumpster fire, as even the change to Dillon Gabriel couldn't inject life into this offense. Despite just landing in Cleveland, the 26-year-old has been the subject of trade rumors for quite some time now, and is a popular trade candidate.
Jeudy is a young option who is relatively cheap, but he comes with red flags. His 13 drops in 2024 were the most in the NFL, and he's already dropped eight passes this season.
Moreover, his $19 million per year price tag is steep for a team that has to pay both London and Bijan Robinson in the near future. However, he would be an immediate upgrade at WR2.
2. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
If you're looking for the best fit in Atlanta, look no further. The Dirty Birds were linked to Tyreek Hill before he went down, and now they could inquire about his fellow speedster, and it's no surprise he's one of the most popular targets among the fanbase.
Waddle has recorded three 1,000-yard seasons, and could be the perfect vertical complement to London's ability as a red-zone threat—which is fantastic news for Penix and his rocket arm. The former top-five pick in 2021 is averaging 13.4 yards per reception in his career, and has stepped in as an elite big-play WR1 in Hill's absence.
The main hiccup in any trade for the 26-year-old would be draft capital. He would likely require a second-round pick to acquire, and that's a steep price for a team that's already missing their 2026 first-round pick due to the James Pearce Jr. trade.
Even though he's making over $28 million per season, he does have team control, so it brings up an intriguing possibility to make Zac Robinson's scheme even scarier.
3. Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders
Perhaps the most likely player to get traded on this list, it feels like a Jakobi Meyers trade is imminent. In 2024, Meyers amassed career-highs in receptions (87) and receiving yards (1,027), but has been off to a slow start in 2025 due to inconsistent QB play from Geno Smith in Las Vegas.
People may not realize it, but Meyers has been one of the most under-appreciated receivers of the last half-decade. He has surpassed 800 receiving yards in each of the last four seasons, and his consistency as a route-runner could see him serve as an effective security blanket for Penix .
The requested a trade earlier this offseason because the Raiders won't sign him to a long-term deal, which would be the same hold-up in Atlanta. Any London extension should be the priority over a long-term deal with the 28-year-old.
However, Meyers would be relatively cheap to acquire, so if Fontenot could retain him on a team-friendly deal, he is a sensible trade target.
4. Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans
It only feels fitting to end this list with an old friend. As many of you already know, Ridley was an All-Pro in Atlanta after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Falcons. Fans expected him to be the long-term WR1 after Julio Jones was traded, which crashed and burned for several reasons.
As much as he might be disliked by the fanbase, Ridley has still got it. He's surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last three seasons he played most or all games, so it's clear he could still contribute for a competitive offense.
At the moment, Ridley is currently suffering on the 1-5 Titans, a team who just fired their head coach and are in desperate need to retool the offense around No. 1 pick Cam Ward. He's been off to a slow start in 2025, but a change of scenery could help him get back on track, and his experience would be welcomed in Atlanta.
The red flags are obvious: his checkered past in Atlanta, but also a career-high 11.4% drop rate. Despite those concerns, Ridley is making only $23 million per year, which doesn't seem too bad—especially since the Titans would take on some of the salary—and he'd also be cheaper to acquire.