Falcons will get a look at a next year's potential quarterback upgrade in Week 17
The Atlanta Falcons will be facing off against the Chicago Bears in Week 17 in a matchup between two teams looking to keep their playoff hopes alive. However, this matchup will also be a great first-hand scouting opportunity for Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot. The Falcons have had some major quarterback problems throughout the 2023 season […]
The Atlanta Falcons will be facing off against the Chicago Bears in Week 17 in a matchup between two teams looking to keep their playoff hopes alive.
However, this matchup will also be a great first-hand scouting opportunity for Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot.
The Falcons have had some major quarterback problems throughout the 2023 season rotating between Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. The team will once again be starting Heinicke following his Week 16 win against the Indianapolis Colts. However, neither have proven themselves as the team's long term starter looking ahead to next season.
A similar scenario has been playing out on the opposing sideline on Sunday with the Bears this season. Over the past few weeks of the season, Bears quarterback Justin Fields has been under scrutiny to prove he can be the team's franchise quarterback.
With a 4-7 record on the season as a starter, it's difficult to determine whether or not Fields has made his argument strong enough, and it likely won't change over the final two weeks. Armed with the presumably first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bears will strongly consider drafting a new quarterback and therefore will be open to trading Fields to another team next season.
The Falcons will indomitably be one of the team's interested in giving the young quarterback a second chance in a change of scenery next season. If the Falcons retain head coach Arthur Smith for another season, Fields without a doubt would be the best quarterback to operate in his system and the Falcons can amend a mistake they might have made in 2021.
During the 2021 NFL Draft, the Falcons opted not to draft a quarterback with their Top-5 pick and instead selected tight end Kyle Pitts with the fourth overall pick. Later that night, Fields landed with the Chicago Bears with the 11th pick in the draft. The following year, the Falcons tried to make it right by selecting quarterback Desmond Ridder in the third round.
That decision has clearly not played out very well for the Falcons as the team stares down potentially their sixth straight season missing the playoffs. Since drafting Ridder, the Falcons are 8-8 with the former third-round pick as the starter.
Ridder has thrown 10 passing touchdowns and has 10 interceptions in 13 games played in 2023. Fields has thrown 15 passing touchdowns and 9 interceptions in 11 games with a significantly worse supporting cast and offensive play calling.
With the Falcons currently sitting with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the team could more than likely find themselves out of range to draft one of the top prospects in the draft. Instead, Fontenot should be on the phone with Bears general manager Ryan Poles when the season ends to work out a deal to acquire Fields.
Bringing in an established starter in the league who also has the traits to be one of the league's most dynamic quarterbacks could be a major boost for the Falcons offense that already has the pieces in place to win games.
A Falcons offense led by Fields with Pitts, Drake London, Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier could be exciting to watch for year's to come in Atlanta. The last time Fields played the Falcons he recorded 153 passing yards, 85 rushing yards, two total touchdowns and one turnover. Let's see if he can put on another show in Week 17 with more interested eyes in attendance.
