The Falcons are one of those teams that could swing in just about any direction before Tuesday’s trade deadline, but the most likely outcome is also the least dramatic one: not much.
Atlanta sits at 3-5 after a rough loss to the Bucs, yet it’s still only a half-game behind the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South. That keeps the door cracked open. The division is still there for the taking, which means whatever the Falcons do - or don’t do - before the deadline will say plenty about how this new regime views the roster.
There’s no strong sense around the league that Atlanta is about to go on a buying spree or start unloading pieces. The Falcons haven’t been a major part of deadline chatter, and part of that is simple: they don’t exactly have a stash of obvious, high-end trade chips.
That said, Ian Cunningham has already shown he’s willing to make moves to improve the roster. Since taking over in January, he has made four trades.
Only one of them, the Gervon Dexter Sr. deal, involved Atlanta giving up draft capital without getting anything back. The Ruke Orhorhoro-for-Maason Smith trade didn’t include draft picks at all.
If Atlanta does get involved, it probably won’t be in the biggest names on the board. A lot of the top trade candidates are running backs, and with Bijan Robinson on the roster, the Falcons don’t need to go chasing Jonathan Taylor, Tony Pollard, Breece Hall, or possibly Derrick Henry.
The list of players who could be available from Atlanta is pretty thin, too. That group includes QB Tua Tagovailoa, CB Mike Hughes, LB Divine Deablo, WR Olamide Zaccheus, and CB C.J.
Henderson. Even then, the market for those names may not be especially strong.
Divine Deablo might be the most realistic possibility because he likely won’t be back, but even that would be a surprise.
If the Falcons do decide to add, the most plausible targets would be smaller upgrades at receiver or cornerback rather than a headline-grabbing move. The names that have been floated as possible fits include CB Riq Woolen, WR Rashod Bateman, EDGE Will McDonald IV, WR Calvin Ridley, and WR Kayshon Boutte.
The biggest name tied to Atlanta is Jessie Bates, and that’s the one decision that could really test the front office. Still, the expectation is that the Falcons should not be trying to move him. Bates is in a contract year, but he has been playing at a high level, and the better play would be to work on an extension.
Even so, teams are expected to call. ESPN’s Dan Graziano said he could be on the move, though he also made clear that he does not think Atlanta is shopping him.
"To be clear ... I do not believe the Falcons are trying to trade Bates , and I would be surprised if they did," Graziano wrote.
"But he's an excellent player in the final year of his contract, and there are teams out there that would like to know whether they can get him. I believe it would take a huge offer."
Bates has been a turnover-forcing machine and one of the league’s best at the peanut punch, which is exactly the kind of player contenders want. But with Xavier Watts underperforming and Bates standing out as the defense’s best player, moving him would be a bad idea for a team still in the hunt.
So the most likely path for Atlanta is the quiet one. Maybe a depth add at wide receiver or corner.
Maybe nothing at all. Cunningham has already been active since arriving, and unless the right deal suddenly appears, the Falcons may simply let Tuesday pass without making much noise.
In Other News...
Bijan Robinson Just Sparked A Debate Falcons Fans Will Feel
Bijan Robinson has been one of the few bright spots in a Falcons season that has not gone the way anyone in Atlanta wanted. Through eight games, the running back has piled up 780 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns and added 25 catches for 203 yards with a score through the air, production that would normally put him squarely in the conversation among the leagues top backs.
Still, Robinsons own view of where he stands has added a different layer to the discussion. For a player carrying so much of the offenses load, his comments underscore a bigger truth for the Falcons: individual success only goes so far when the team is still searching for wins and a more complete rhythm on offense. [Read more 🡒]
Bijan Robinson Is Chasing A Rare Falcons Mark This Week
Bijan Robinsons all-around value has already made him one of the most important pieces of the Falcons offense, and now he is in position to add a little history to the mix in Week 9. The conversation around NFL milestones this season has been busy, with a few notable records already falling and others hanging in the balance, but Robinsons chase stands out because it speaks to how much Atlanta has leaned on him as a receiver out of the backfield as well as a runner.
The Falcons will get a chance to keep that momentum going in a setting that is a little different from the usual Sunday routine, and Robinsons workload could put him on the doorstep of a franchise mark that has belonged to some familiar names in Atlanta history. It is the kind of opportunity that gives a midseason trip extra weight for the Falcons, especially with a record within reach and a chance to leave the week with something more than just another win. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Loss Just Made Two Free Agency Decisions Feel Urgent
A miserable afternoon in Tampa left the Falcons with more than a shutout loss to sort through. In a 16-0 defeat that featured ugly weather and even uglier execution, Atlanta watched the Buccaneers win without completing a pass, leaning on the ground game while Michael Penix Jr. was picked off four times and the offense never found a rhythm.
For a roster trying to steady itself, the game also sharpened the focus on a couple of looming personnel questions. Jessie Bates III has been one of the brighter spots as the secondary has settled in, while the backfield has felt the absence of Brian Robinson Jr. as the Falcons have tried to piece together their rushing attack. After a performance like this, the front office has even more reason to weigh how it wants to address both spots moving forward. [Read more 🡒]