As football fans across the country impatiently await the 2021 NFL draft, all eyes are on Atlanta. The team currently holds the No. 4 pick and new general manager Terry Fontenot is wisely keeping his cards close to the vest. Will the Falcons select a new quarterback, trade down, or surprise us and take Kyle Pitts or Penei Sewell?
Since Atlanta is in a position of power, there isn’t any real value in the team revealing its intentions. After attending both of Ohio State QB Justin Fields’ pro days, the Falcons will be doing the same with North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the team is sending three different scouts to Lance’s second pro day on Monday, and that Atlanta “has gotten calls about the No. 4 pick” but keeping all options open.
As they did with Justin Fields’ second pro day at Ohio State, the #Falcons will send three different coaches/scouts than the first pro day, putting six sets of eyes on each QB. Atlanta has gotten calls about the No. 4 pick, and is thoroughly evaluating options if it stays put.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 17, 2021
So which team is most likely to strike a deal with the Falcons and move up to No. 4? The Denver Broncos were among the three potential suitors we mentioned last week. Woody Paige, a columnist for The Denver Gazette and regular on ESPN’s Around The Horn, made a pretty good case as to why Denver and Atlanta could make a trade.
“A Broncos-Falcons trade is quite realistic,” writes Paige. “Paton and Atlanta’s Terry Fontenot are first-time general managers who served in similar capacities as personnel people and scouting specialists in Minnesota and New Orleans. They know each other well, and the two were the finalists to replace Elway in Denver. If Paton had turned down the job, Fontenot would have been hired. He took the Falcons’ offer six days after Paton was appointed.”
Whether or not Paige is accurate about Denver being a potential trade destination, there are a handful of teams that could be interested in moving up for the chance at a franchise quarterback.
This year, the draft unofficially starts at No. 4 overall when the Falcons are officially on the clock.
