The Falcons felt they couldn’t afford to trade out of the eighth pick and still acquire their quarterback of the future, so they set their sights on Michael Penix Jr. Though there is plenty to be said about the choice, this line of reasoning is sound. You don’t trade back in the hopes that a quarterback you really like will fall even lower. You grab your boyfriend right away.The Falcons proceeded in that manner, but it has since been verified that Terry Fontenot made a concerted effort to trade back into the first round, as was reported shortly after the first round. Jets general manager Joe Douglas stated that the Falcons are sticking at eight in a recently made public video that was taken just before the Falcons started counting down to their selection. Furthermore, they would be interested in making a trade for the Jets’ tenth overall pick. According to rumours, the Falcons were interested in returning to the first round in order to select UCLA’s Laiatu Latu, who was selected 15th overall by the Indianapolis Colts as the first defender off the board. It would be reasonable to assume so given how the Falcons proceeded with the next three rounds of the draft, selecting three defensive lineman in a row. If it would have been worthwhile for Latu, we’ll find out in a few years, but that would have been an incredible trade-up. To make that kind of deal, the Falcons would have needed to give up a tonne of draft capital in both this year’s and next year’s drafts. It would have been particularly strange given that they indicated when they selected Michael Penix that they are more concerned about the future than the present.It’s just another one of those moments when you wonder, “What the hell is Flowery Branch’s residents thinking?
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