Matt Ryan’s playing days could be behind him. However, given what we’ve seen from Joe Flacco this season, you never truly know. Ryan, on the other hand, has rapidly found a second career after being forced to leave the league. He’s a natural on the CBS broadcast team, and he was calling the Falcons’ season finale versus the Saints, which will be remembered as the funeral for head coach Arthur Smith.
Smith was fired less than 24 hours after the Falcons lost 48-17 to the Saints, as Arthur Blank and company will rehire in the hopes of improving outcomes and returning to the playoffs for the first time in seven years next season. Whoever they hire as their next head coach could help the Falcons to the playoffs, but nothing will change until they find a franchise quarterback.
It is unclear which way they will go. The draft has several blue chip possibilities, but the Falcons may need to move up if they want to grab one. Justin Fields is a popular name among potential trade targets if the Bears select a quarterback with the first overall choice. There’s a crop of veterans that could intrigue the Falcons, highlighted by Baker Mayfield, Kirk Cousins, and Russell Wilson.
The Falcons aren’t in a position where Mayfield, Cousins, or Wilson will propel them to the top. They would merely be band-aids for a far larger problem. The Falcons should go younger, and the best quarterback in Atlanta team history agrees.
“I think it’s probably young, whether that’s trading for a young player or finding somebody in the draft,” Matt Ryan said when asked about the Falcons’ quarterback strategy this summer. “I think they go in the direction of a young player.”
Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels are the only three safe bets in the draft, in my opinion. Unfortunately, all of them may be off the board in the first three picks. Following those three, there are some additional fascinating alternatives, like Bo Nix, JJ McCarthy, and Michael Penix Jr. However, they all have problems and will most likely not be ready to launch for another year or two.
Justin Fields is the other option when it comes to young quarterbacks. If the Falcons are unable to land one of the top three quarterbacks in the draft, he is the most natural match, and I anticipate them to pursue Fields aggressively if they do not want to pay the price required to move up the board.
