INDIA — The NFL Combine gave the Atlanta Falcons’ search for a new franchise quarterback a boost. The Falcons were busy evaluating players who were already in the league in addition to meeting with many of the best signal callers available in the 2024 NFL Draft. These are the things that SI’s Falcon Report’s informants informed them throughout the week in Indianapolis.
The quarterback from Chicago, Justin Fields, was a hot commodity when the brass of the Falcons and Bears gathered in the middle of the week. The product of Kennesaw, Georgia, Fields participated in 13 games with the Bears the previous year, finishing with 2,562 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions on 61.4 percent of his throws. Together with that, he ran for 4 touchdowns and 657 yards. Atlanta supposedly communicated with Chicago before to the week, but head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot continued their due diligence by holding in-person meetings. Though it’s unclear how the talk proceeded, Fields wasn’t the talk of the town when it came to Atlanta’s next starting quarterback. Rather, there was increased discussion within league circles regarding the Falcons’ interest in Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, who’s poised to hit free agency.
The Falcons believe Cousins is “the type of player who moves them from a fringe playoff team to a contender,” according to The Athletic’s article from last week. This internal optimism is matched with expectations from the outside for a significant push. As a result, even though Fields garnered the majority of the early-offseason attention on Atlanta’s quarterback dilemma, Cousins is starting to emerge as the favorite as decision day draws closer. Regarding draft possibilities, SI’s Falcon Report has previously revealed that the Falcons have high expectations for LSU’s Jayden Daniels, with some team members ranking him as the best passer in the draft.