After a shocking turn of events, it appears Deshaun Watson will waive his no-trade clause for the Cleveland Browns. The Atlanta Falcons still have a franchise quarterback on the roster, but at 36 years old, how much longer does Matt Ryan have as a professional QB? The only positive here for Atlanta after missing out on the local product is they won’t be eating a massive cap hit from Ryan and Watson in 2022.
How will the Atlanta Falcons proceed after missing out on Deshaun Watson?
Atlanta has four top-75 picks in the 2022 NFL Draft after finishing 7-10 in the NFC South in 2021. Even with the acquisition of Watson, it would have been difficult to build a legitimate contender around him in the immediate future.
There are holes on the offensive and defensive sides of the football. Even through some simple restructures, the Falcons can only free up close to $24 million in free agency. This means their free agent possibilities dwindle as well.
Filling the holes on the offensive side of the ball
The Falcons have a hole at left guard. Jalen Mayfield struggled in his rookie season, but it’s probably too early to give up on him. Kaleb McGary could be upgraded on the right side, but the Falcons’ biggest issues are at receiver and running back.
Jarvis Landry should be an Atlanta Falcon. It would be a less expensive way to address the position, and he complements Kyle Pitts well as a target that can force linebackers to creep up underneath as Pitts sneaks behind on deeper crossing routes.
They should also either consider taking the first receiver off the board with the eighth pick in the NFL Draft or wait until their second-round pick where a good player should still be available.
How the Falcons can fill holes on the defensive side of the ball
On the other side of the ball, the Falcons have already begun making moves. They signed CB Casey Hayward Jr. to a deal to play opposite superstar cornerback A.J. Terrell. On top of still being a good player at an advanced age (for a cornerback), Hayward is a perfect schematic fit.
One of the biggest issues facing Atlanta for years now has been their inability to rush the passer. They have no excuse for not drafting a darned good pass rusher with the eighth pick in the NFL Draft if that’s the direction they choose to go. The class is chock-full of impressive talent at the position. Their skill sets are also diverse. It should be like shooting fish out in a barrel.
They could also use an upgrade at the safety position. Kyle Hamilton is a game-changing player in the secondary. There are also still a few free agent options available in the back end.
