Atlanta Falcons: Sell, Sell, Sell Should be the Trade Deadline Motto

Prime Trade Candidates: Defense

Vic Beasley

Former first-round pick Vic Beasley is nearing the end of his tenure as an Atlanta Falcons edge rusher. The athletic Beasley showed great potential by leading the NFL in sacks as a second-year pro in 2016. Vic has not been the same since veteran mentor Dwight Freeney wasn’t retained by the team.

Vic Beasley is on pace to reach new lows, with only 1.5 sacks so far this season. He recently lamented the fact that he is letting coach Dan Quinn down.

Quinn who personally proclaimed that he would help Beasley reach is his full potential, even seems to be throwing in the towel on Vic as a pass rusher. He has dropped Vic Beasley in coverage 39 times this season. That’s nine more times than he played coverage in the year that he was listed as a linebacker.

General manager Thomas Dimitroff has apparently seen enough as well. Reports are that Vic Beasley is on the trade market. Unfortunately for the Atlanta Falcons, there does not appear to be much of a market for his services.

Vic Beasley would be best served as an outside linebacker on a 3-4 defense, but with his lack of production, the Falcons will have to take pennies on the dollar at this point. Hindsight is always 20/20 but it was easy to see that Atlanta should have traded Beasley when there was a market last season.

At this point whatever the team can salvage will have to suffice.