Atlanta Falcons draft questions continue with latest draft pick loss

The Atlanta Falcons lost another former draft pick this week with the Packers signing tight end John FitzPatrick from the team's practice squad. The move is the second time this season the Falcons have lost a former draft pick from their practice squad with the Bills signing Zion Logue to their active roster.

Terry Fontenot and the Falcons seem to finally be putting it together at the right time. Sitting at 3-2 the Falcons are playing a failing Carolina team and have every reason to feel they are a playoff team. However, there is no hiding the team's continual failure in drafting impact players.

Losing two late-round picks off your practice squad isn't the end of the world but it is indicative of a larger problem for Atlanta. Since Terry Fontenot has taken over in the Atlanta front office this isn't a team that drafts well. Yes, there are a handful of hits but the clear misses far outweigh the impact players Atlanta has found.

There is a reason the team has brought in so many veterans over the last three seasons. It is from a complete inability to find impact players past the first-round. Even first-round picks Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson haven't lived up to admittedly high expectations.

The miss rate for the Atlanta draft picks demands accountability from a team cannot afford to continue to whiff. In Atlanta's 2024 draft class there is yet to be one player who has consistently made the roster and been a part of the rotation on either side of the ball. Injuries are the only reason Atlanta rookies have seen the field.

For the Falcons to be a contender moving forward and continue to have relevance their ability to evaluate and draft must change. Clearly whatever system the team has in place is failing and the cost of that will soon come due.