New Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris spoke candidly about the quarterback situation heading into the 2024 season.
“If the quarterback play had been better, I might not be standing here on the podium,” Morris said at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday.
Last season, the Falcons finished 7-10 in a mediocre NFC South, with head coach Arthur Smith rotating between Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke throughout the season.
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Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris speaks to the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 27, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Falcons fans have been coveting one of their growing quarterbacks with solid offensive weapons including Kyle Pitts, Drake Rondon and Bijan Robinson, all first-round draft picks.
Ridder, a 2022 third-round draft pick, was rated the worst starting quarterback in the NFL (38th overall) by Pro Football Focus. Heinicke didn’t do much in the five games he played in to earn the job.
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Both QBs are on the strength chart heading into 2024, but based on Morris’ comments, neither is the signal caller he wants to see in Week 1.
So Atlanta, which owns the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and has the assets to trade, has all sorts of options.
Raheem Morris of the Atlanta Falcons during the second half of a game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 13, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Atlanta is expected to acquire Bears’ first-round pick Justin Fields, who could be moved if GM Ryan Pauls decides to start over with a rookie quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick. There is sex.
The Falcons are expected to have $32.8 million in salary cap space to acquire a free agent quarterback like veteran Kirk Cousins.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris speaks to the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 27, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
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The Falcons could use the No. 8 overall pick at quarterback, but Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jaden Daniels are expected to be gone by the time Atlanta picks. The Falcons could also target a QB like Michael Penix Jr. or JJ McCarthy.
