The fourth overall draft of the project, owned by the Atlanta Falcons, could become a key position in the selection order; here we review the scenarios
The image is starting to clear up more and more. For months, Jacksonville Jaguars were fixed on projections of projections. Apparently, the same thing happened with New York Jets. Then San Francisco 49ers They traded to move up to third overall and you don’t do that unless there’s a player you know you want.
All this leaves a very interesting scenario for The Atlanta Falcons. It’s not necessarily a good thing. It’s definitely not a bad thing. Just … interesting, because he’s leaving the new CEO Terry Fontenot, and the new head coach Arthur Smith, with options for his first leading project hawks.
Working under the premise that San Francisco go for it jets does not surprise everyone with an ace up his sleeve, the first three shifts should be defender, defender, defender, hoping that Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson be the first two.
The plot starts from the fourth global turn. There are several alternatives for hawks.
Select a defender
As general manager and coach, you do not want to choose frequently in the Top-5. If this happens, you probably won’t be in this position for long. So while Atlanta you are here, investing in a defender would be one of the most obvious ways.
The way Atlanta the management of this situation could depend on the players available at that time. If a quarterback, the team believes he is among the top five players this year, is still there – and at least two in the group Trey Lance, Justin Fields and Mac Jones will be available – so it makes sense to go with a bar.
However, there are a few details. Reducing an injury to Matt Ryan, a defender would not play in 2021. It would be very unlikely that the defender would play in 2022 as well, although according to the list management system, Atlanta would save $ 23.75 million in space below the salary cap if it were designated a post-1 June 1 discount (while he was still charged a $ 24,921,500 in dead money).
So yes Atlanta considerably Ryan, aged 36, as a player to build in the next three years, then a defender would be meaningless, as almost half of the novice player contract would be spent sitting behind Ryan.
There are two reasons to take a defender here: Your plan is to continue without Ryan sometime in the near future after 2021 or do you think the player is so important that he will be your passer for the next decade after Ryan. If none of this is true, it is better to choose an elite talent in another position and select a defender later, with the potential to develop in the future.
Atlanta currently has a defender on the roster –Ryan– so hawks they need someone there. Depending on who it is, much could be established about the short-term and long-term future of the franchise. It’s the first really great decision to make Fontenot and Smithand one that could define your startup commands.
Select the Sewell Feather Line Offensive from Oregon
The question here might be how they see it hawks A Sewell. He has 6 legs-6, weighs 325 pounds and has experience as an attack, so that would be his logical position. Although it would be surprising to see him as a guard – hawks they already have Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary as approaches – so the guard could be a short-term solution. Getting a player you consider a long-term goalie at No. 4 overall would be an exaggeration – the last goalkeeper to be selected in the Top-10 was Quenton Nelson to Indianapolis Colts in 2018 – but if the bet is on Sewell as a long-term tool, it might be worth the investment.
McGary is under contract until 2022 and Matthews until 2023, so Sewell could spend a year indoors before moving abroad, as none of the players guaranteed the money left over from their contracts, if Atlanta take this route. And getting an attack in the Top-5 is not uncommon; New York Giants they did this last year with Andrew Thomas at no. 4.
But Sewell would be an improvement for the offensive line if Atlanta select it and it could provide a blind side shield for the next decade, for anyone playing defender for hawks. It will not be an interesting choice, but it could be safe with a high floor and a high ceiling. Sewell It’s an elite perspective.
Select Kyle Pitts from Florida
It might seem great to take a tight spot at number 4; it never happened in the era Super Bowl. Only twice does it have a tight end in the Top-5: Member of the Hall of Fame, Mike Ditka, in 1961 and four times selected for Pro Bowl, Riley Odoms, in 1972. They both finished 5th.
Saying that, Pitts is a different player and NFL he has evolved offensively to the point where tight ends are becoming increasingly valuable in his offenses. Pitts6-foot-6, 245-pounds, ran an unofficial time of 4.44 seconds in the 40 yards, jumped 33 1/2 inches in the vertical jump and counted 22 reps in the bench press during professional day Florida. It was no longer a tight end. It is what a tight end could be in the future.
“It’s a different bird from a traditional tight end,” said the Los Angeles head coach. Detroit Lions, Dan Campbell, was the tight end of NFL. “Or definitely when we were playing.”
And he is young, which, in theory, means more room to grow in the future. It will not turn 21 until October and will increase its production every year with Florida (Although it had fewer receptions in a season interrupted by COVID-19 in 2020). In less than three full seasons, he became the all-time leader in receiving courts for a close finish (1,492) and second in receptions (100).
The tight end is a difficult position in terms of the transition from collegiate to NFL, even for first-round or Top-10 recruits. But construction template Atlanta it should help here too. Hayden Hurst is in the final year of his contract (although Atlanta could validate your option in the fifth year of the contract as well) Lee Smith It came by mutual agreement for a season. Among the wide receivers, Calvin Ridley is in the year of the contract (although, as in Grove, Atlanta has an option in the fifth year of the contract) and Julius Jones is under contract until 2023.
place Pitts in a nearby receiver group Jones, Ridley and Grove it could be a nightmare for the opposing defense, at least for the next two seasons.
Redeem to go down in order
This goes back to the defenders. If there are teams –Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots and The Washington football team they are candidates – they desperately want one of the remaining passers-by, Fontenot it could move away from position and reduce order for the future capital project. It takes a willing partner for the exchange to take place, but it probably is Atlanta they have options.
Given the state of the team, it would not be the worst of moves if it materialized. Order trading also opens up more realistic options for taking on a defensive player: the defender. Micah Parsons could be available on turns # 8 or 9, for example, and on the defensive lineman Paye receipts a linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah may be available after that. Corner defenders Caleb Farley and Patrick Surtain II it could also be part of the conversation, depending on how far it goes Atlanta. Other players could be involved here as well, given that in the middle of the first round is where a bunch of defenders are expected to start being called up from the podium.
Atlanta has 20 players under contract by 2022, although this number could increase if the options for year five are validated for Grove and Ridley, and the defense will need new young talent. Although defensive players are not the elite elite in this year’s draft, there are explosive players available as well Fontenot You can reverse the fourth global change to get more options to help rebuild the list in the long run. This might be the best way to Atlanta, if the team is not in love with one of the defenders.