Last year, the Atlanta Falcons saw firsthand how important the wide receiver position is in the NFL. After losing Drake London for weeks on end and watching Darnell Mooney become a shell of himself, they were left relying on practice-squad receivers who had no business being on the field.
It was a big reason Arthur Blank ended up firing Terry Fontenot; he failed to create a backup plan. Ian Cunningham is tasked with avoiding the same fate. And now that Tua Tagovailoa is the presumed starting quarterback, they could look to one of his ex-favorite targets to fill the void in the WR room.
So despite adding numerous players, Cunningham should still be looking to bring in one of the best receivers of this generation and Tagovailoa's former No. 1 target, Tyreek Hill.
Tyreek Hill is the cherry on top of the Atlanta Falcons' productive offseason
The extensions of Drake London and Kyle Pitts -- along with Bijan Robinson's soon -- are all well and good, but they don't raise the ceiling of this team. Hill would. It's the Fourth of July, and signing an eight-time Pro Bowl receiver this late in the offseason isn't a chance that comes up often.
Hill would make this offense even. Despite coming off a gruesome injury, he is bound to be a solid deep threat for any offense that covets him. He has proven to be one of the best receivers and is still capable of burning defenses.
Garrett Podell of CBS Sports identified the Falcons as one of the best landing spots for the future Hall of Fame receiver.
"Hill could easily leapfrog Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus to be WR2 for the Atlanta Falcons behind only Drake London," Podell wrote. "He also became the first player in NFL history with multiple 1,700-yard receiving seasons after his first two seasons catching passes fromTua Tagovailoain 2022 and 2023, and Tagovailoa is now in Atlanta. Even ifMichael Penix Jr. ends up starting the vast majority of the games, Hill has plenty of reps banked catching passes from a left-handed quarterback, thanks to his four seasons in Miami with Tagovailoa. "
It is a strong point; His relationship with Tua adds a dynamic that no other team has, other than the Chiefs. They know each other well and can hit the ground running. Hill is also a great complement to Michael Penix Jr.'s skill set. The lefty is known for his ability to drive the ball deep down the sideline, the place where Hill has so often produced.
The financials also make sense. Hill will likely take a one-year, prove-it deal that the Dirty Birds can afford. If he doesn't "prove it," then so be it. But if he does, you have a dynamic threat who could land you a compensatory pick next offseason.
Just think about what an offense with Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson, Tyreek Hill, Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Austin Hooper could do. That is a total of four former first-round picks, 13 Pro Bowl selections, and seven All-Pro selections on an offense led by a man who took the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs twice.
If the Falcons want Tua Tagovailoa to succeed, reuniting him with Tyreek Hill is part of the way to do it.
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