Don deal; the Falcons have completed their trade for signing a vital player that they ever wanted
According to rumors, the Falcons were reportedly willing to pay at least a third-round pick to acquire Commanders pass rusher Montez Sweat. There was some optimism that they would sign a top player to bolster a pass rush that hasn’t performed well in 2023.
Ultimately, Chase Young was traded to the 49ers for a third-round pick in 2024, Sweat went to the Bears for what might very well be the first pick in the second round, and no other notable player that the Falcons needed was on the move.
Ultimately, the Falcons took the action that they usually take right before the deadline: quiet objects. Little things. Things that won’t be franchise-shaking or change this team’s fortunes right now but might be important and impactful in the future—like they did at last year’s deadline, when they traded Calvin Ridley to the Jaguars.
A team that recently lost Grady Jarrett added depth to its defensive line by acquiring Ryan Nielsen favorite Kentavius Street. They traded late-round picks with the Rams well in advance of the deadline in order to acquire Van Jefferson, a receiver who is starting to play a bigger role but hasn’t yet produced the kind of output this offense needs. tiny details. Things that, hopefully, will appear more prominently than they do now in the upcoming weeks.
It is understandable that the fan base became frustrated after the deadline passed without much in the way of protest, even if you weren’t expecting a move in the end. We are so tired, man. Whether we’re rooting for Heinicke or enjoying Ridder, we’re all watching this team and knowing that their 4-4 record is about the same as it was a year ago and that their play, especially on offense, isn’t up to par.
Even though this year may not have been the pinnacle of a larger scheme, it was considered a significant turning point for a regime that began more than three years ago. We should get more than seven wins this time around, and maybe even more next year. This doesn’t seem to be the significant advancement we had hoped for.
Even though these Falcons have greatly benefited from free agency, they have made enough mistakes in other areas to bring us to this point. 4–4, once more. Once more, waiting for the payoff.
The Bears gave Washington a return that no other team could possibly match or surpass without giving up their first-round pick. The Falcons took a swing at Sweat but were unsuccessful.
We were not informed of any backup plan, if any existed. Apart from that, this franchise is focused on the next generation of players, plunging headfirst into the pool of self-improvement and promising us better times ahead.
They’ll turn on Street and possibly Bell and try to get between 50 and 70 percent of Grady Jarrett by willpower alone. If Ridder stays in at quarterback or if Heinicke takes the reins, they can expect better quarterback play.
They will anticipate that Bijan Robinson will go from being a fantastic young player to a minor god, that Kyle Pitts will become uncorked and untracked to the detriment of defenses, and that Arnold Ebiketie, David Onyemata, and Calais Campbell will enter the backfield slightly more quickly in order to increase pressure and cause nervous passers to make costly errors.
They’ll anticipate a little bit better coaching, a little quicker and more intelligent play, the ability to hold this block for an extra 30 seconds, and a little quicker closing on that receiver. Little things. Significant items. Things that, if we’re being honest, they would have needed to do even if they had successfully completed a trade. Things that elevate a solid but somewhat disappointing 4–4 record to the NFC South title, a Wild Card berth, or a winning record, depending on your goals,.
You can still think this team would have been better off trading for a Chase Young with a third-round pick, and I do believe in the improvement to come. Or a rematch for Danielle Hunter, should that have managed to pry him free. You make the decision because, as I’m sure you considered them, you realize that Sweat is ultimately beyond their reach.
Instead of laboring through arduous work and slow progress, which is more likely to occur, the deadline’s passing closes a pathway to improvement that would have been swift and possibly powerful. Even though it wouldn’t have fixed everything, it would have made the team’s commitment to improvement much more apparent than that quiet work did.
There are years when the outrage over the deadline is absurd. Perhaps it’s just this year, but it seemed like something significant was needed at this particular time. As admirably as everyone up front has played thus far, few of us would argue that it’s harder to see this defense survive without Grady Jarrett unless there’s a major addition from another team.
Notwithstanding five and a half tire-spinning seasons, the Falcons continue to ask us to believe in them and their talent. They face the very real possibility of having to acquire a quarterback the following season and having to choose between giving up a first-round pick for Sweat—which, incidentally, I believe is a smart move—or forking over a sizable amount of draft capital for a player like Young, who seems to be less of a priority. As they have so frequently done over the last three years, they are counting on the cautious construction and astute investments to finally pay off.
In Flowery Branch, faith persists even in the face of dimming fires. We remain steadfast in our faith since, in spite of our doubts, we are all present on Sunday.
The Falcons were expected to soar higher thanks to the splashes we enjoyed all spring. The time has come for both tidepools and tidal waves to provide the Atlanta Falcons with something more, as the season is halfway through and the deadline has passed with its subtle, quiet moves.
With the exception of a few minor roster changes, the Falcons are essentially set for the next nine games. The trade deadline has passed. What comes next needs to be something meaningful, or else 2023 will be remembered as a year with more bitterly missed opportunities than any previous year.
