The Atlanta Falcons are fresh from the firing of former Head Coach Arthur Smith and big decisions await the franchise. The most pressing one is whether they will continue to develop second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder or give up on him.
The upcoming NFL draft promises to be a great one if you’re looking for franchise quarterbacks. According to NCAA draft pundits, the 2024 class of quarterbacks have ranked favorable (100 point scale) entering the new year. Who will the Falcons grab?
Top Quarterbacks In 2024 Draft
- Michael Penix Jr, Washington (83.2)
- Jayden Daniels, LSU (83.1)
- Bo Nix, Oregon (81)
- Caleb Williams, Southern California (82.1)
- Jordan Travis, Florida State (80.0)
- Drake Maye, North Carolina (79.5)
- Quinn Ewers, Texas (78.9)
- Michael Pratt, Tulane (65.8)
- Shedeur Sanders, Colorado (63.0)
All that being said, Ridder was also a great quarterback in college. The Louisville native started all four years at Cincinnati, throwing for 10,239 yards on with 87 touchdowns and 28 interceptions in 50 games.
Former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said that the Falcons would likely go with a young quarterback, signaling that the front office is done with Ridder as starter.
“With that eighth pick, to find some stability at that position … I think it’s probably young, whether that’s trading for a young player or finding one in the draft,” he said.
There are also some veteran quarterbacks in the NFL who the Falcons would do well to consider. Here’s our list:
Top NFL Quarterback Free Agents In 2024
- Justin Fields
- Sam Darnold
- Jameis Winston
- Baker Mayfield
- Gardner Minshew
- Joshua Dobbs.
- Easton Stick
- Mason Rudolph
- Jake Browning
As for the heading coaching position for the Falcons, the search has begun. Leading the charge is owner Arthur Blank and CEO Rich McKay, with input from Falcons General Manager Terry Fontenot, and several other staffers.
“I also want to be clear on this: There is no timetable,” Blank said in a news conference. “The only timetable is to do this correctly. We’ll take our time, be thoughtful, do all of the interviews, be respectful, make sure we have a full diverse set of candidates that we’re considering in every way, and give each and every one of them an opportunity to express their vision for our football team, for our franchise, for the roster, where we are and where we expect to go.
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