Eh it makes sense. Cousins is a good QB, this lets you quickly evaluate our talent. if they can't hack it with Cousins they can't hack it. if they look good they can get extended.Originally Posted by striker42
We also can still draft a future QB next year which is still a solid draft class. Top end probably isn't as strong, but there's still lots of good guys who should come out who're comparable to not Williams or Maye.
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I think Soroka has given you PTSD on Achilles injuries. There is definitely not a high chance that Cousins repeats that injury. Re-ruptures of the Achilles tendon happen in about ~10% of patients. But considering the world class care and rehab Cousins has available, I'd say it's less than that
Rerupture rates are actually much higher in the NFL. They may get great care but they also put their bodies under a lot more strain. Even if Cousins never gets hit he'll still be putting WAY more stress on that ankle than normal people.
I also think back to Sean Weatherspoon for the Falcons when I think of multiple Achilles injuries.
I'd feel significantly better if he was coming back from a torn ACL. Achilles injuries are nasty.
Donovan McNabb played a season on a destroyed ankle. If Cousins wasn't an impending FA and the Vikings weren't doing poorly in the Standings he likely could have gritted out the season.
If he misses a whole year because of injury that's hardly the end of the world as we'd regain some cap.
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Question is what do the Falcons do about backup. Right now they're paying Heinecke about 9M, with 2M in dead cap meaning if we cut or trade him we shave 7M off the cap. Do we keep Ridder around his basically 1.5M cap hit per year could be worth it for a 3rd string QB. Or we could just sign an undrafted FA as our backup.
Personally I'd cut Heineke, and sign a QB who isn't drafted. We can use that 7M on a show me contract for someone or just for decent veteran depth on the line.
Also if Spotrac's right about COusins' contract the Falcons made a brilliant 2 year signing. Right now we have to keep him for this year and next, but then in 2026 we can cut him for 25M in dead cap or post june 1 designate him for splitting 12.5M in cap between those 2 years. Assuming we go through with that we'll basically be paying cousins 2/90.
That's not a bad gamble for someone who if they're healthy and mostly in form will lead us to the playoffs the next 2 seasons as ther'es no way with a top 15 QB we don't win the south (Ridder was 34th in DVOA, Heineke was like 85th, 4th on our team worse than Drake London and Logan Woodside) which Atlanta is on the longest playoff drought we've have since the 1991. Seriously since 1991 when we made the playoffs, the longest drought we had was 6 seasons, our longest winning same with out longest winning season draught. After the aweomse bit of Ryan's Prime, this has far and away been the worst time to be a falcons fan in 33 years.
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Falcons aint ****ing around this offseason eh?
Natural Immunity Croc
Doesn't seem like it. Seems like they've got their QB, WR2, and will be drafting an edge. That's 3 of their biggest holes from last year.
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I see nothing wrong at all with this Cousins contract. It’s basically a 2 year deal so the risk is fairly small for a huge upgrade. I’m sure the Falcons have done their due diligence on the medicals. I still hope they draft a developmental QB in the later rounds like Milton or Pratt
Cousins is a very good QB that you can win a Super Bowl with.
JMO
Natural Immunity Croc
Falcons also need a RT pretty bad. That’s my biggest fear now… the Oline was a great running Oline, but they have struggled in pass protection at times. Woerner as a blocking TE will help that a little bit
Mooney is gonna be a great breakout candidate. His routes are fantastic and he’s a burner. Fields could just never throw it to him accurately even though he was open all the time
Nah, McGary is a solid OT. He's not a beast I won't say that, he's not Johnson or Sewell good, but he's solid. He was ranked by PFF last year as 20th best overall tackle in the NFL. I forget the stat but he wasn't as much of a liability in passing as he was in the past, but lost his overall grade because of his run blocking not being as elite as it was in 2022. Which likely is statistical anomaly on both ends of that.
Unless we can grab Alt, which isn't happening as it's almost certain Chargers are taking him, there's no real reason to worry abotu McGary that much. He could be better but your RT is rarely called on to be as big of a beast if you havea good pocket manipulator QB as he can set the pocket on his front side much easier than his blind.
I wouldn't mind a 2nd round OL pick who can be like an ace in the hole backup. But our OL was one of the 5 best in the NFL last year. Sure it's more run geared than pass geared, but a competent pocket QB will greatly improve the OL
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I'd wait a year, no real reason to do anything now. What I'd do is cut Heinecke, sign an undrafted FA, and then next year cut Ridder and draft a project QB in the 2/3.
After taking an Edge in round 1, rest of the draft is about filling out quality depth.
I would add if we could get a good DT in the second round that would be wise. Grady is getting up there in age and can't have many years of quality play left in him.
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Intesring stat graph
THere's like 2 types here, those really good at running routes and getting open, and guys like Gabe Davis who's hard as hell to cover but drops open passes all the damned time.
Stockholm, more densely populated than NYC - sturg
This is going to be his best shot. Atlanta now is his best chance for him in a long time. Minnesota's defense was always bad and their offense aside from WR1 was never truly special.
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I think Pitts is going to **** his pants when he sees catchable balls
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Here's a question, do the Falcons target their QB of the future this year?
This is something I'm concerned about with the Cousins signing. It's an opportunity cost. If we put off drafting our next QB then we're delaying the break in time for a new QB. If Cousins gets hurt or never comes back fully, we could suck for the next 4+ years.
Cousins is our QB for the next 2 years. Our winning is heavily tied to him the next 2 years. The closest you do this year is see if you can find a Purdy type late in the year, doesn't make sense to take Penix or Nix in the second when that can be used on an interior DL or OL, or CB, etc.
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You can’t drafts a qb in the first three rounds after you make the cousins move. It makes absolutely no sense. Might as well have tanked and just taken a qb with your first pick in 25.
Natural Immunity Croc
If this is the route they go then Morris and Fontenot's fates are 100% tied to Cousins. If Cousins gets hurt again or never fully comes back then the Falcons are terrible for at least 3 years. Three seasons of struggles will see cleaned house in Flowery Branch.
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