SI's Breer reports: Falcons have had "exploratory talks" with teams about Atlanta's No. 4 pick in 2021 Draft

[1972forever]

I just heard - I think it was on a podcast, so I don't have a link- maybe it was the Phinside the NFL...that Miami is leaning away from guys who opted out. I think it was said that Tony Pauline reported it.(If you even want to believe it)
If that is true, -obviously, big IF- it would bump Chase from our list. I don't think anyone is taking Devonta Smith before us. I just can't see it.
And if he is a Paul Warfield- and what a good comp, I see how you came up with that- (based on physical traits) I am pouncing on him at 6 no doubt.
I love Smith- I would have to go Pitts ahead of him, but if Pitts gets taken and we select DSmith I will not cry in my milk.

I also heard last week that some teams have taken players who opted out last year off their boards when it comes to drafting them in the first round. They didn’t mention which teams have made this decision but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Dolphins were one of those teams.

I guess we will know if Smith, Waddle, Chase, and Sewell are all available at six and they decide to take Smith or Waddle. Of course it could also mean they like Smith or Waddle more than Chase and Sewell and the pick has nothing to do with Chase or Sewell opting out last year.

Personally I don’t have an issue with any player opting out last year but it also doesn’t surprise me that some NFL teams have an issue with players who did decide to opt out last year.

 

[andyahs]

I also heard last week that some teams have taken players who opted out last year off their boards when it comes to drafting them in the first round. They didn’t mention which teams have made this decision but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Dolphins were one of those teams.

I guess we will know if Smith, Waddle, Chase, and Sewell are all available at six and they decide to take Smith or Waddle. Of course it could also mean they like Smith or Waddle more than Chase and Sewell and the pick has nothing to do with Chase or Sewell opting out last year.

Personally I don’t have an issue with any player opting out last year but it also doesn’t surprise me that some NFL teams have an issue with players who did decide to opt out last year.

Their thinking may be if they opted out for covid and the option is presented again do they want to draft someone high and possibly have them opt out their first year.

 

[Awsi Dooger]

Dropping only three spots and netting a future 1st and 3rd round pick to me is a great haul

It was awful return, given the situation we were in. The presence of Tua on the roster should have been totally ignored. That's what Grier failed to understand. It is extremely rare opportunity to have two consecutive swing at a premier quarterback prospect. Grier acted as if that wasn't even a consideration.

Then he was too busy setting up a hop scotch board back to #6 or thereabouts to grasp how valuable #3 was, given so many quarterbacks in play and so many aggressive personalities on the teams looking to move up. Carolina just gave up multiple picks for Sam Darnold. I have mentioned several times that Matt Rhule's presence alone is the reason I wouldn't have been quick to bail out of #3. I don't think Chris Grier had any clue regarding Matt Rhule's nature and what he might be willing to do, especially closer to crunch time. I hope Grier wasn't dense enough to believe these guys when they insist they won't offer more...a full month ahead of time.

Very few executives would have settled for a net future 1 and 3 in that spot. It probably would have been in the bottom 10-15% of what other teams could have pried away.

 

[SCOTTY]

I also heard last week that some teams have taken players who opted out last year off their boards when it comes to drafting them in the first round. They didn’t mention which teams have made this decision but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Dolphins were one of those teams.

I guess we will know if Smith, Waddle, Chase, and Sewell are all available at six and they decide to take Smith or Waddle. Of course it could also mean they like Smith or Waddle more than Chase and Sewell and the pick has nothing to do with Chase or Sewell opting out last year.

Personally I don’t have an issue with any player opting out last year but it also doesn’t surprise me that some NFL teams have an issue with players who did decide to opt out last year.

I think Chase is lower on our board than Smith and Waddle due to his opt out. Thought that for a while now.

 

[Rowdy1972]

Getting three 1st round picks and a 3rd round pick for the 3rd overall pick is never a dumb move. The 49ers greatly overpaid for that pick and I highly doubt the Falcons will get that compensation for the 4th pick (Unless they fall into the late teens/early 20s).

The Dolphins did pay a bit of a hefty price for the Eagles pick, but it does guarantee one of the top non-quarterback prospects.

Dropping only three spots and netting a future 1st and 3rd round pick to me is a great haul, doesn't matter that it happened a month before the draft or when the team was on the clock. The Dolphins get for sure value now, still get a player they highly covet and don't have to worry about teams looking to trade up getting cold feet and being stuck at 3 taking the same player they would have at 6. I bet you if the Falcons trade with like the Panthers at 8, that they are not getting a net value of a future 1st and 3rd round pick.

Its a third rounder next year and a first rounder in 2 years. We didnt even get a current year draft pick to move out of the top 10. It was terrible value. No other way to look at it. Everyone praising the deal is a bit odd. Like im seriously trying to come up with a way to rationalize it but I can't. At minimum we should have taken the 49ers 1st, 2nd, 3rd rounder THIS YEAR and next year's first. Had you waited them out until the draft, you probably get more.

If you like the deal, Id love to make a deal with you in the future.

 

[Dolphins81]

Want the Bengals to draft Sewell so Grier isn't tempted.

That’s happening. The Bengals watched their star QB go down, they will end up drafting Sewell and if he is gone they will draft a different tackle. The Bengals are perhaps the most predictable team.

 

[andyahs]

That’s happening. The Bengals watched their star QB go down, they will end up drafting Sewell and if he is gone they will draft a different tackle. The Bengals are perhaps the most predictable team.

I am hoping.

 

[TheRevoltingBlob]

Right.....you beleive 26 teams wouldn't take Gesicki over their current TEs?

BTW, Where did Gesicki rank in yardage and TDs compared to those other 26 TEs?

I get it! You're not a Gesicki fan! I know that because you don't acknowledge his vast improvement in blocking and you certainly don't acknolwdge where he is in the league stats-wise.

The number 26 was simply where he ranked in snap count (That was my count, but saw him at #29 on Playerprofiler). That's a fact. Take that one up with the coaching staff if you don't like it. Kind of disingenuous to imply that is where I rank him among TE's.

I don't agree that he vastly improved his blocking from 2019 to 2020. I would agree he has improved since his rookie year, but he's still easily among the worst blockers at TE. He is used as a run blocker much less than other good TE's, and we carry multiple solid backups to fill that role for a reason.

And nowhere in my post did I disparage or diminish his abilities as a reciever. He is quite easily top 10 purely as a receiver at TE. But there is a stark drop after the big 3.

And I actually do like Gesicki. Just not enough to that I think his presence on the roster is a good justification to pass on Pitts. You make it sound like I want to get rid of Gesicki or something just for the sake of doing so.

I'd rather have both and see how that works out.

 

[dolphinheel]

Good news for us.

Atlanta Falcons Depth chart

Get the latest NFL Atlanta Falcons Depth chart from NBC Sports EDGE

www.nbcsports.com

Yep

 

[dolphinheel]

Ridiculous post. Not sure what Atlanta at 4 possibly making a trade back has to do with Grier being dumb. SF may have told Grier they would pull the deal if it wasn't made soon. We got great value there.....not so much trading back to 6.

There’s always one EEYORE

 

[EJay]

Silver lining is Grier could draft Sewell and trade Austin Jackson to a team looking for a left tackle. Then draft Evan Neal next year and trade Sewell to a team looking for a left tackle.

Keep doing this and be in the running for Executive of the Year for the next 3 or 4 years.

I think he's onto something.

Dude trades one left tackle nearly 2 years ago and this is how you run with it?

Um, Ok.

If he does the same with Jackson, I’ll get the joke. But last I checked this hasn’t yet become a pattern.

 

[circumstances]

Atlanta may really want to trade down from 4, but may not be able to.

Even though Fields, Lance, whoever-QB may still be on the board.

Might just have to sit at 4 and a pick player.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

 

[EJay]

Ridiculous post. Not sure what Atlanta at 4 possibly making a trade back has to do with Grier being dumb. SF may have told Grier they would pull the deal if it wasn't made soon. We got great value there.....not so much trading back to 6.

Exactly.

We all knew it was a possibility to get more from a desperate team in the waning hours leading up to the draft and eventual pick.

But there was also risk in not being able to make a move at all if other org’s moved first and removed potential trade partners.

To an extent, that has actually happened.

SF and CAR are now out of the equation. So who does that leave? DEN and NE?

DEN still has Lock and may not be as much a buyer as some believe.
And would MIA really want to deal with NE?

Lastly, if some org actually does hand ATL an ungodly amount more than MIA received from SF to then be in position to draft the 4th QB — who btw is FAR down the list of BPA on almost every draft experts list — then more power to them.

I won’t blame Grier and Flores for not believing some org was brain dead enough to do that.

Then there’s the factor of how far ATL would trade down to. If they trade down to 9 or further, they should receive more in return, right? Only makes sense.

There are some on this board that just love to dial 9-1 then just wait for something to panic and complain about.....

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

Dude trades one left tackle nearly 2 years ago and this is how you run with it?

Um, Ok.

If he does the same with Jackson, I’ll get the joke. But last I checked this hasn’t yet become a pattern.

Yeah that’s what I did. You got a problem with it fella

 

[EJay]

Atlanta may really want to trade down from 4, but may not be able to.

Even though Fields, Lance, whoever-QB may still be on the board.

Might just have to sit at 4 and a pick player.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

If ATL does end up trading out of 4, I’m thinking it’s more likely it happens once they are on the clock.

Reason being is that the org trading up might actually want to see if the QB they like most actually falls. Nobody knows for sure whether the Niners are taking Jones, Fields or Lance. I’ve seen all three speculated there.

The widespread belief as far as I can tell is Mac Jones. But nobody knows for sure.

It seems pretty risky to trade for 4 now — surrendering the capital that’s needed to do so — not knowing for sure which 2 (Jones, Fields, Lance) will be there? Unless you like all of them pretty equally??

And how many org’s are left to be realistically interested? DEN and NE?

I’d hate to trade all the way down to 15 in this draft. ATL better get a lot if they do that.