After a rough season that seen quarterback Desmond Ridder get benched twice, the options are now open for the Atlanta Falcons to look elsewhere. Ridder and Taylor Heinicke both proved to be unfit to lead the Falcons next season. With new head coach Raheem Morris coming in, he will want to see what options are available to the team. Will he draft a rookie? Sign a free agent? Or trade for a quarterback? Here are the three guys that I see as the best options for coach Morris.
Kirk Cousins
With Morris being a defensive minded coach, he could sign a free agent veteran quarterback to run the offense through. Of the ones to pick from, one of the options I like is Kirk Cousins. Cousins has been under the radar when it comes to production over the last three seasons. In 2023, he got off to a great start, throwing 18 touchdowns to just 5 interceptions. Then the injury bug struck. He tore his achilles tendon in a game against the Green Bay Packers. Whether or not that will be a factor moving forward is a question that will only be answered on the field.
Jayden Daniels
Coming off a Heisman season, Daniels could be the most explosive player in the 2024 NFL Draft. He had just over 5,000 yards of offense and 50 touchdowns with the LSU Tigers last season. I’m as high on Daniels as any quarterback in the draft. However, with Caleb Williams and Drake Maye being gone before the Falcons pick, I think Daniels falls to us. This would be a huge move for coach Morris, as Falcons fans have longed for an explosive player behind center since Matt Ryan’s departure in 2021.
Russell Wilson
If you asked anyone about Wilson before the 2023 season started, they would say he was washed. A veteran that had lost his edge. However, a resurgence in 2023 may have saved his career. Under new coach Sean Payton, Wilson threw for 3,000 yards with 26 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Payton would choose to sit Wilson for the last two games of the season. Wilson would by far be my pick for Morris to turn the franchise around. He has proven that he can be effective on a defensive minded team (the Legion of Boom with the Seattle Seahawks).
Signing Wilson would also virtually give Morris his pick for a defender with the 8th pick in the draft. He could focus on getting Dallas Turner or Jared Verse. Two explosive game changing defensive ends that will help the defense immediately. He is a defensive minded coach so that’s where he will want to start building. Wilson will just be the perfect veteran for the situation in Atlanta because it isn’t one that is new to him. Morris can lean on Wilson to make enough plays at the right time to get them by with the weapons that they have offensively.