From Week 1 onward, Desmond Ridder and Arthur Smith have kept the 2023 Atlanta Falcons in check. In order to preserve his position as general manager and this talented roster, Terry Fontenot will need to make significant offseason adjustments.
Falcons fans in Atlanta are close. The team has more explosive offensive skill than most casual fans realize, a strong offensive line, and a defense that includes multiple players who might be All-Pros. Why, therefore, are they only 6-8 and facing the possibility of losing the postseason right before their eyes?
To get to the bottom of that loaded question, several replies are needed. A month from now, the Atlanta power structure—which includes the quarterback, head coach, and general manager—might look very different. Is it time to clean the house?
Let’s take a closer look at the 2023 Falcons in this piece today—all the good and bad, but largely the awful. What actions can the team take to return to the postseason? A few adjustments to the roster and at the top should be sufficient in a division as competitive as the NFC South.
Full disclosure: I thought Desmond Ridder would be talented enough to be an above-average starter at best and a game manager at worst when I assessed him as an NFL starting signal-caller.
Sadly, neither Ridder nor the Falcons have seen this vision come to pass. Furthermore, the former Cincinnati quarterback’s chances of being the long-term starter behind center are almost nonexistent due to his benching.
Don’t worry. Atlanta is now positioned to make a trade higher on the board should it become necessary, sitting at No. 10 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. A big trade package will be needed for options like Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, while Jayden Daniels might not even need to be moved.
