Russell Wilson watch can officially start for Falcons fans
By Ryan Heckman
This offseason, the Atlanta Falcons figure to be one of the most aggressive teams when it comes to attacking the quarterback position. Everybody knows it.
Recently, the top two candidates for Atlanta to pursue continue to be either free agent Kirk Cousins or current Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who would come by way of trade.
Either way, the Falcons seem intent on adding a capable starter rather than rolling with Desmond Ridder or Taylor Heinicke in 2024.
On Monday, another option officially emerged for the Falcons as the Denver Broncos made it official. They informed quarterback Russell Wilson they'd be moving on from him as soon as the new league year starts on March 13.
The Atlanta Falcons are officially on "Russell Wilson watch" for the immediate future.
Aside from the fact that the Wilson trade might go down as the worst trade in league history when it's all said and done, let's look at the facts of the matter.
Last season, Wilson was more than serviceable for the Broncos. Say what you want about the guy or his relationship with Sean Payton, but Wilson was quietly having a strong year before he was benched for the remaining two games of the season.
In 15 starts, Wilson threw for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.
Is the 9-time Pro Bowler a legitimate option for Atlanta? I would venture to guess so, especially if a couple of things happen.
First, Cousins could stay in Minnesota. Second, Fields might even stay in Chicago, barring a trade to another team like Pittsburgh or Las Vegas.
And now, after the Combine, we're hearing reports that J.J. McCarthy could even find his way into the top five or six picks of the draft. That means, unless the Falcons are willing to make a trade up, they'll be left without a top-four quarterback in this class.
What other options would they have? Sam Darnold? You've got to be kidding me.
Falcons fans might balk at the idea, but Wilson could become a very realistic option in the near future.