The Atlanta Falcons’ offseason hasn’t seen a ton of change, but things could pick up ahead of the NFL Draft. With the Falcons a logical trade down candidate with just five picks entering the draft, it could leave general manager Terry Fontenot looking for ways to acquire extra draft capital.
This is a necessity considering that Atlanta has just $9.8 million in cap space entering the draft and multiple holes on a team that went 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the seventh straight year. But it also could punch a ticket out of town for a pair of big names and give Atlanta a chance to rebuild and compete for an NFC South title.
1. QB Kirk Cousins
Cousins is the most obvious name on this list because many believe he would have been traded by now. The four-year, $180 million contract Cousins signed last spring has aged like a gallon of milk in a cornfield, and with Michael Penix Jr. ready to take over as the team’s starter, it feels like Cousins’s days are numbered.
The problem has been finding a suitor, which has become easier in recent weeks. The New Orleans Saints became a quarterback-needy team in the wake of Derek Carr’s shoulder injury last week, but it’s unlikely the Falcons would want to trade him to a division rival. There’s also the question of what the Pittsburgh Steelers will do at quarterback as they wait for Aaron Rodgers to make up his mind.
The Falcons have repeatedly mentioned that they are comfortable with keeping Cousins as the backup to Penix this upcoming season. But a $40 million cap hit suggests they’re going to have to get rid of him if they want to put a better team around the young signal caller. This means a trade should be coming, and Cousins could get his wish to become a starter somewhere else.
2. TE Kyle Pitts
Pitts has become a massive disappointment after he was selected with the fourth-overall pick in the 2021 draft. Hailed as a “unicorn” coming out of Florida, Pitts had a Pro Bowl rookie season with 68 catches for 1,026 yards and a touchdown, but has turned in three lackluster seasons since, including catching 47 passes for 602 yards and four touchdowns last season.
The good news is that Pitts' touchdown total has gone up each year, but the bill is coming due as he is set to become a free agent after this season. Trey McBride recently signed a four-year, $76 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals, and while his production is superior to what Pitts has done, it sets the market if Pitts has a big season.
Penix has already expressed his belief in Pitts becoming the weapon that Falcons fans thought they were getting. But Atlanta’s salary cap situation looms over his future after this season. It could be too little, too late to save Pitts' tenure with the Falcons, leaving the front office to pursue something in return.