The trade deadline is typically the most chaotic time of year in the NFL world, as the rumors and speculation runs rampant and there is a permanent uncertainty involved. Anything can happen at any moment, and that's what makes it so fun to watch--because we have to expect the unexpected.
Most teams are either buyers or sellers at the deadline, but every year around this time, there are a couple of teams that can go either way--and the Atlanta Falcons fit into that group. For all we know, Ian Cunningham's first trade deadline won't be an active one, but in this business, you never know.
The 3-5 Falcons are coming off a brutal loss to the Bucs, but they're only a half-game back of the Carolina Panthers for the NFC South lead. Since the division is still anyone's for the taking, their playoff hopes are still alive, so the activity (or lackthereof) before Tuesday will tell us how this new regime views this team.
Atlanta can get aggressive and make a push for the division, they can trade away some depth, or they can just let the chips fall and not make many moves at all. It's anyone's guess what Cunningham and Matt Ryan will actually do, but we've got you covered.
Here's everything we know currently about what the Falcons could do before the trade deadline.
Don't expect the Atlanta Falcons to be active before the trade deadline
There hasn't been much discussion being floated that'd suggest the Dirty Birds are going to be heavy buyers or sellers, and frankly, they're not a team who has come up in trade deadline rumors all that often, and that's largely because they don't have the most interesting or appealing assets to deal.
As we've all learned by now, Cunningham is not one to turn down an opportunity to make this roster better. He's made four trades since he took over in January, but only one of them (the Gervon Dexter Sr. trade) involved Atlanta giving up draft capital without gaining anything in return, while the Ruke Orhorhoro for Maason Smith deal didn't involve any draft picks.
Many of the top players available are at the running back position, and given the Falcons have the best RB in the NFL in Bijan Robinson, it's safe to say they won't be involved in the Jonathan Taylor sweepstakes--or in the market for guys like Tony Pollard, Breece Hall, and possibly Derrick Henry.
The Falcons don't have the best assets they could possibly load off, as I can't imagine the markets of guys like Tua Tagovailoa, Mike Hughes, and Olamide Zaccheus are going to be particularly robust. Maybe Divine Deablo could be on the move since he likely won't be back, but that would be shocking.
Players who could be available:
QB Tua Tagovailoa
CB Mike Hughes
LB Divine Deablo
WR Olamide Zaccheus
CB C.J. Henderson
Players the Falcons could look to acquire
CB Riq Woolen
WR Rashod Bateman
EDGE Will McDonald IV
WR Calvin Ridley
WR Kayshon Boutte
What rumors are we hearing about the Atlanta Falcons' trade deadline?
The most difficult deadline decision this team is going to have to make is on Jessie Bates, but the Falcons should not be trying to trade him--and I doubt they are.
Bates is entering a contract year, but he's been playing out of his mind of late, so the goal should be extending him long-term, but there is no way that teams aren't going to call and offer a gargantuan offer for the All-Pro safety--which is why ESPN's Dan Graziano thinks he could be on the move.
"To be clear ... I do not believe the Falcons are trying to trade Bates , and I would be surprised if they did," Graziano wrote. "But he's an excellent player in the final year of his contract, and there are teams out there that would like to know whether they can get him. I believe it would take a huge offer."
He's been a turnover-forcing machine and is one of the best at the peanut punch, so basically every contending defense could use. But Xavier Watts has been underperforming while Bates has been the best player on the defense, so it would be a mistake for a team that's still competing to trade him.
If the Falcons will make moves before Tuesday afternoon, it'll be a smaller move for additional depth at WR or CB and no splashes. But in theory, their most likely course of action is to stay quiet, since Ian Cunningham has already has his fun, but this all depends on what's out there for Atlanta to get done.
Frankly, I wouldn't expect the Falcons to be active at the trade deadline, but in this business, you can never say never.
Add us as a preferred source on Google