The Falcons Are Apparently Super Horny to Trade Up In the NFL Draft
This blog is for all the people out there who say you're a bad fan if you want your team to tank to get a better draft pick, because there may never be a more perfect example disproving that assertion than the 2019 Atlanta Falcons. After starting 1-7, Atlanta ripped off wins in six of its last eight games to finish 7-9, still well outside the playoff picture but also plummeting its draft pick to 16th.
The Falcons then also chose to retain head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff, who are now well aware their asses are on the line in the 2020 season. So despite the potential negative future ramifications of mortgaging a package of draft capital to move up for one pick, they're going to do it because if they don't, they're going to be gone one way or another.
It's not like I wanted the Falcons to be bad going into last season — you can watch this video and tell that.
But once you're 1-7, it's time to pack it up and go home. There will be no such thing in the 2020 season as any "positive momentum" the Falcons built from a year prior. There will never be a situation in which beating the 49ers on the road in December helps Atlanta this season.
Also, it's apparently the worst-kept secret in the NFL that the Falcons are going to make a move, thus driving up the price from any potential suitors. Way to really play that one close to the vest, guys.
Atlanta would be in a much better organizational position right now if it had tanked the second half of last season, picked No. 3 and brought in a new coaching staff to hopefully get one more run out of Matt Ryan and Julio Jones in these last couple years you have those guys at the top of their games.
But it instead looks like we're going to gamble the entire future on Jeff Okudah, C.J. Henderson or Isaiah Simmons and hope one of those guys is able to make enough of an impact as a rookie to justify that type of move.
I guess we'll find out soon enough.