The Atlanta Falcons have a lot of quarterbacks to choose from.
When that’s the case, though, it often means that none of them is really good enough.
They’ve already announced that it’ll be former Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa getting the Week 1 start in Pittsburgh against the Steelers.
It’s also been implied by national reporters that when Michael Penix is back to full health from his knee injury, he’ll get a chance to play, too.
The Atlanta roster also includes veteran backup Cooper Rush as well as highly intriguing undrafted QB Jack Strand.
So yeah, there are a lot of bodies in the quarterback room.
What’s one more? That’s the question asked by Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox in a new article where he suggests a potential trade target if the Falcons don’t think anyone they’ve got will get the job done.
Falcons QB Trade Rumor
Knox names the Falcons, along with the Cleveland Browns, as the two logical landing spots if the San Francisco 49ers decide to trade their backup, Mac Jones.
Jones is the former Patriots first-round pick who then went to the Jacksonville Jaguars before San Francisco.
He actually made a Pro Bowl to start his career with New England, but it hasn’t been perfect sailing for him since.
Jones’ arrow is pointing up, though, as many view him as the top backup QB in football.
“While the Alabama product significantly regressed after his Pro Bowl rookie campaign with the New England Patriots, he revitalized his stock as a spot starter with the San Francisco 49ers last season,” Knox writes. “Jones went 5-3 as a starter while throwing for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions last season.”
The case for trading for Jones now is that next year’s free agent QB class might be quite bad, and getting Jones into a building and signing him to an extension might be the best solution for any team that feels it could need a quarterback going forward.
“Teams that do view Jones as a potential QB1 could look to make a preemptive trade to acquire him now—which would open up the possibility to use the franchise tag for an audition in 2027,” Knox writes.
What Would Mac Jones Cost In A Trade?
Jones would cost a 2027 second-round pick in a trade, Knox writes.
The 49ers place high value on him as a backup for the oft-injured Purdy, so he wouldn’t be easy to pry away.
“Jones is obviously a valuable backup behind Brock Purdy, but the 49ers should be willing to trade him for a price,” Knox writes. “The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt reported that San Francisco was looking for a second-round pick and more early in the offseason. The market for Jones will peak if and when another contender loses its starting quarterback to injury. However, QB-needy teams who are looking ahead could come calling, too.”
Can the Falcons really afford to just keep bringing in more quarterbacks? Maybe not. But they also can’t afford to not solve the position, so maybe going after Jones would be a risk worth taking.
Falcons’ QB Solution Is Trade With 49ers