The Atlanta Falcons tried to add some offensive help to their roster in the 2023 season, sending a Day 3 pick in the 2025 draft to the Los Angeles Rams to acquire Van Jefferson. While the Falcons didn't surrender much to land Jefferson, the wide receiver didn't help the team much at all, only hauling in 12 catches for 101 yards in 12 games.
Now that the third day of the draft is in the books, we finally know the results of a trade that Falcons fans would like to forget.
Falcons Day 3 draft pick completes horrendeous Van Jefferson trade
Falcons received:
- Van Jefferson
- Pick 242 (Traded away)
As noted, Jefferson did very little for the Falcons and spent the 2024 season with the Steelers, so yes, this pick was bad for Atlanta. Had Jefferson maybe stuck around for another year, perhaps it wouldn't be looked at as negatively but that's not the timeline we're in. Jefferson signed with the Titans this offseason.
Funny enough, the Falcons ended up kicking this pick right back to the Rams in part of the package to move up to take James Pearce Jr. in the first round. The Rams ended up using it on Konata Mumpfield, a wide receiver out of Pittsburgh.
Rams received:
- Pick 190 in 2025 NFL Draft
The Rams ended up trading this pick to the Colts and it turned into Alabama defensive tackle Tim Smith. Who did the Rams move up to get with the pick they acquired from Atlanta, you ask? That would be Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter, who they snagged in the fourth round with the 117th overall draft pick.
As mentioned, Los Angeles ended up getting the 242nd pick back anyway so now Falcons fans have a very small investment in Mumpfield. We'll have to see if he or Hunter do anything for the Rams. If either become even a decent player, this deal will look even worse for Atlanta. Otherwise, it was a bad swing and miss but at least no true harm was done.