Welcome to the 2024 NFL Draft, Atlanta Falcons fans.
The talent is abundant on the offensive side of the ball, an almost unprecedented amount. So, for a team like the Atlanta Falcons, who find themselves in the top ten and do not need an offensive playmaker, that pick starts to hold some weight that may not be there under different circumstances.
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The option to stick at eight and have your pick of a defensive playmaker is always enticing, especially since Atlanta hasn’t fielded a top-ten defense since 2017. However, with the tampering investigation threatening their draft capital next season, if the Falcons decide to trade down and recoup some of that capital, the number eight pick should be open for business.
With that, here are three teams that come to mind as possible trade-down candidates for the Falcons
Buffalo Bills, Pick 28
The Bills are at a crossroads in their team-building process. They’ve paid their franchise quarterback, yet outside of Dalton Kincaid, who is Josh Allen throwing the ball to? At pick 28 in this draft, the selections at wide receiver are talented but have flaws. Names like Florida State’s Keon Coleman and Georgia’s Ladd McConkey have much better value as an early second-round pick than a late first-rounder based solely on optics. That said, the Bills have ten first-round picks in this draft and an extra second-round pick next year from the Stefon Diggs trade. If Buffalo wants to get that bona fide guy for Allen, they have plenty of ammo.
Indianapolis Colts, Pick 15
Anthony Richardson is returning from his season-ending shoulder injury last season and will be looking to make his mark after his encouraging rookie season. Michael Pittman did sign a new contract this off-season, but that should not preclude the Colts from adding to the receiver room. We’ve seen what an abundance of pass-catching talent could do for a franchise in the Cincinnati Bengals and their recent playoff runs. If Chris Ballard falls in love with a player who drops like Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers, the Colts have all of their picks in this year's and next year’s draft to work with.
New Orleans Saints, Pick 14
Listen, we can’t hold General Manager Terry Fontenot for his past transgressions as he learned the tricks of the trade under that Saints logo. Those connections are the only reason they are on this list, because, let’s face it, New Orleans needs offensive line help badly. The Falcons know that and with the possibility of the New York Jets taking the next best guy at 10 or the Las Vegas Raiders at 13, Atlanta could potentially take a solid chunk of this year's and next year’s draft from the Saints to ensure they get their guy.
