In the NFL, no club is flawless. Nonetheless, some people build teams considerably worse than others. Additionally, observing a team’s draft process can provide you with a wealth of information on how they manage their team. What does that mean for the Falcons in the NFL Draft of 2024, then?Based on the way things appear, Raheem Morris’ debut season as the Falcons’ head coach should be fascinating. Four years ago, the former defensive coordinator for the Falcons wasn’t exactly the top choice among fans, especially since future Hall of Famer Bill Belichick was interviewing for the position. With their efforts during free agency, Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot swiftly calmed Falcons supporters. They acted quickly to acquire quarterback Kirk Cousins, who will ultimately play a significant role in the Morris era in Atlanta. Morris’ tenure was off to a more promising start than anticipated, along with a couple more purchases. The draft did, however, eventually arrive. And now, the franchise’s validity is being called into doubt once more. Having said that, let’s examine the most significant errors the Falcons committed in the NFL Draft of 2024. Michael Penix Jr. is drafted at No. 8 overall.Shall we begin with the most apparent first? Everyone was taken aback by the Falcons’ choice to select Penix with their first-round pick at No. 8 overall, surprising observers from Chicago to Flowery Branch, Georgia. This is due to the fact that this was initially one of the most shocking selections in NFL history. It is multidimensional, though. Kirk Cousins was available for free agency; thus, Morris and Fontenot made the right choice. However, they may regret it in the long run because of alleged tampering issues (more on this later). Since it has been the biggest gap, the Falcons automatically upgraded their starting quarterback from the previous three seasons. That essentially forced the Falcons to pursue a prominent pass rusher at last, something they had not done in the previous few years. However, since this is Atlanta, it wouldn’t have been remarkable if the team had selected wide receiver Rome Odunze, who was selected by the Chicago Bears with the ninth overall pick. Was there really a need for it? No. However, it would have been subject to far less scrutiny than what they ultimately did at No. 8. First of all, selecting Penix at No. 8 was a far higher pick than most predicted. Some, in fact, didn’t even have him in the running for the second round. Presumably, the Falcons could have acquired Penix even after trading down and earning more money. Second, because of Cousins’ age, recent Achilles injury, or potential future output, the Falcons now appear less confident in their acquisition of him. Not to mention, paying $100 million with a guarantee makes them appear incredibly foolish. Lastly, are the Falcons aware of what will happen to them in light of these accusations of tampering? They managed to stay out of trouble at the NFL Draft in 2024, but can they predict who would be selected in subsequent rounds? It’s possible that they are considering the future more than we realise. Once more, the decision is so complex that it is difficult to declare it a total failure because its effects won’t become fully apparent for years to come. But as of right now, approaching the 2024 season, it’s clearly a mistake. With 36 selections overall, the cornerback position was the most picked in the 2024 NFL Draft. Not a single one was selected by the Falcons. Not even one. AJ Terrell, for whom Atlanta exercised his fifth-year option last year, could have used some support from the Falcons’ defensive back end. Although Fontenot has expressed his admiration for Terrell, it is unclear how future contract talks will proceed based on this. As of right now, Terrell is a lock to start in 2024, followed by Clark Phillips III, who, after joining the Houston Texans, will take Jeff Okudah’s spot going forward. After Mike Hughes and Dee Alford, there are a few slot corners, but things grow very sparse. In the end, this error is a result of a cascading effect that began with the Penix selection. The Falcons advanced to the second round and selected Clemson’s Ruke Orhohoro at No. 35 overall to acquire defensive line support as a result of forgoing a pass rush in the first round. This decision is unsettling, though, because there was a much better defensive lineman prospect in Illinois’ Jer’Zhan Newton and, even better, two corners in Iowa’s Cooper DeJean and Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry. In the second round, six cornerbacks were selected. According to Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot, “we’ll definitely continue to look at the cornerbacks,” according to the Falcons website. It is available 365 days a year. We continue after the draft concludes. That pertains directly to the start of the season, regardless of whether we’re discussing a potential trade or adding a new player.
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