Atlanta Falcons will have tough decision if they get top 2021 NFL Draft pick

What will the Atlanta Falcons do if they secure the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft?

To say it’s been a less than stellar start for the Atlanta Falcons would be an understatement, perhaps the understatement of the year. Through the first five games, the Falcons blew two big leads, 20 points against the Cowboys and 16 points against the Bears. They couldn’t stop Aaron Rodgers and the Packers on Monday Night Football last week, and they took an ugly loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The Atlanta Falcons now sit at 0-5 on the season and the disastrous start has cost head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff their jobs.

Simply put, the Atlanta Falcons could be on a rare path to the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, something they haven’t had since 2001 when they selected Michael Vick. This brings about a big decision with many possibilities, something worth exploring here as the season goes on. Let’s look at every possibility and break down the pros and cons.

Select Trevor Lawrence

This is a wild scenario but perhaps is the best one. Yes, Matt Ryan is under contract, and he’s played at a pretty high level the past several seasons, but with Quinn and Dimitroff getting fired, the Falcons will be starting fresh. What better way to jump-start a rebuild than bringing in Trevor Lawrence?

Trading Ryan would be a tough task, but there are still teams who could end up quarterback-needy. The potential out is there after the 2021 season for Trevor Lawrence to step in if Ryan isn’t traded right away.

Lawrence would step in with a year to sit and learn and would inherit a solid offensive line and two elite wide receivers on the boundary. After drafting Lawrence, the Atlanta Falcons can then focus on beefing up the defense. With his tools, the offense could reach new heights and bring about a new era.

So what’s the downside to this? The Falcons already have a quarterback that they’ve been to the Super Bowl with. Forgoing a top pick that could help out the offensive line, or more importantly, the defense, is something worth mentioning for a team that isn’t necessarily QB-needy.

Select Best Available non-QB

This is a scenario that many teams go through at the top of the NFL Draft when they have the quarterback situation figured out, at least for a few more seasons. The Atlanta Falcons would fall into this category for sure, as a team that doesn’t have to take Lawrence. They could instead look to replace either Jake Matthews or Kaleb McGary by selecting Penei Sewell, a tackle who is in a class of his own as far as a prospect goes in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Another option is to take a player who could change things on the defensive side of the ball. Two players who could fit the bill at linebacker are Micah Parsons and Dylan Moses. Parsons has the athleticism and upside to play off the ball and on the edge rushing the passer, while Moses could be the quarterback of that defense for years to come.

The downside to this is that while it makes sense to get a top-tier player for the Atlanta Falcons, trading back or taking a quarterback makes so much more sense in a rebuild. Also, the 2021 NFL Draft class might end up being a class worth trading back to get more day two selections.

Trade the Pick

The last of the scenarios here for the Atlanta Falcons is to trade the top overall selection. There will be several teams clamoring to make the trade-up for what is being dubbed “the Lawrence pick”. Both the Jets and Giants could be suitors, along with the Jaguars, Washington Football Team, Bears, and Colts.

This could be a ransom that has never been seen before. Think about two-three first-round picks, a second in 2021, and maybe even a second and third in 2022. This could be the ticket for the Falcons to put together another strong squad in their window to win with Ryan still at the helm of the offense. Rebuilding the front seven and secondary could be huge while also bringing in someone to ignite the running game.

Getting the first overall pick to leverage a big haul in return would be a great deal for this team, and it would also give them the opportunity to move up in a future draft for their quarterback of the future.

The Verdict

It’s clear that the best two options are drafting Lawrence or trading back and getting so many picks. It all depends on what happens after the season ends.

With the slate being wiped clean, Lawrence likely becomes the pick under a new regime if the Atlanta Falcons do end up picking No. 1 overall. Time will tell, but it’ll be interesting to see how this season ends for Atlanta and what transpires once they walk off the field in Week 17.