Could Falcons find a viable QB in free agency?
Whether or not you believe Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan can still play at an elite level, Atlanta needs to add a QB this offseason. Veteran backup Matt Schaub retired a few weeks ago and Kurt Benkert, who signed a reserve/future contract, has rarely been active.
This has led many to believe the Falcons will use the No. 4 pick on a quarterback. Almost every mock draft available has the team going this route. The quarterbacks in this year’s draft have immense potential, but once you get past Trevor Lawrence, there aren’t any can’t-miss prospects.
Justin Fields was the only other QB that was considered a sure-fire first-round pick a year ago. This should cause some skepticism when looking at the drastic rise of players such as Zach Wilson and Mac Jones in recent weeks. While I’m not dismissing the idea of selecting a quarterback, it’s important to remember that QB scouting is largely hit-or-miss, and the scouts often miss.
The Falcons only have 31 players signed to the active roster for 2021, the lowest total in the league. Atlanta’s salary cap makes the situation even worse, meaning the team needs to hit on as many draft picks as possible. This doesn’t give the Falcons the luxury of selecting a player just to stash away for one to three years.
On the other hand, the Falcons could forgo selecting a quarterback early in the draft and look towards free agency to address the need. This year’s free-agent class isn’t deep at the quarterback position, but one player makes a lot of sense if you dig a little deeper.
After having his fifth-year option declined by the Bears, Mitchell Trubisky will hit the open market this offseason. Bringing in an ostracized quarterback isn’t a new concept for Falcons head coach Arthur Smith.
Titans QB Ryan Tannehill flamed out in Miami and ended up in Tennessee sitting behind another first-round bust, Marcus Mariota. It took Smith six weeks before he made the decision to pull Mariota for good and give Tannehill the reigns.
Tannehill’s 7-3 record down the stretch of the 2019 season was enough to get the Titans into the playoffs following a Week 17 win against Houston. Since taking over for Tennessee in Week 7 of 2019, Tannehill has accounted for more touchdowns than both Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes.
Could Smith have a similar effect on Trubisky?
When coming into the league, Trubisky’s pro comparison was to, you guessed it, Ryan Tannehill. Like Trubisky, Tannehill only had one true season playing quarterback in college. His first three seasons were spent going back and forth between quarterback and wide receiver.
Tannehill played QB full time during his senior season at Texas A&M and threw for 3,744 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and adding 306 rushing yards. In Trubisky’s one year as a starter for North Carolina, he threw for 3,748 yards, 30 touchdowns, and rushed for 316 yards on the ground.
In 2018, it looked as if Trubisky would become what Bills QB Josh Allen looks like today. Trubisky posted 3,223 yards through the air while adding nearly 450 more on the ground. He led the Bears to an 11-3 record as a starter. Entering 2019, many assumed Trubisky would take another step forward.
However, the former top-three pick just never found his footing within Matt Nagy’s offense. Nagy took away a key element of Trubisky’s game by cutting his rush attempts in half.
Watch below as Trubisky is seen scoffing at Matt Nagy’s play call.
Check out Mitch hearing the Play call as this is being reported 🤣 pic.twitter.com/n2Z1yZAMVU
— Robb (@R_DoroJr) October 27, 2020
Nonetheless, Trubisky has to become a more consistent passer if he wants to become a starter again. His accuracy was puzzling at times, and his poor mechanics didn’t help. Trubisky has a history of dragging his hips when he throws the ball, which leads to him overthrowing his receivers at times.
Believe it or not, Trubisky isn’t a bad quarterback, however, he’s rightfully judged against the two QBs he was drafted ahead of. The success of Mahomes and Watson surely played a role in the Bears not picking up Trubisky’s fifth-year option. Mahomes will be featured in his second consecutive Super Bowl and Watson has already posted two seasons where he’s passed for over 4,000 yards and been to the playoffs with a bad team. Both quarterbacks have since signed contract extensions with their respective teams.
Trubisky did lead the Bears to two playoff appearances, and if not for a Cody Parkey shank, he would have a playoff win under his belt. He’s also managed two seasons with a passer rating over 93, while failing to dip below a completion percentage of 66 percent in those two seasons. Both stats are comparable to Matt Ryan..
Tannehill left Miami with a career passer rating of 86. He has since averaged a rating of 110.6 during his two seasons under Arthur Smith. There are enough similarities between Trubisky and Tannehill to consider bringing Mitch to Atlanta. Trubisky could sign a team-friendly contract and sit behind Ryan. By doing so, he could work on his mechanics and his decision making in Smith’s offense.
So while bringing in Trubisky isn’t an exciting move on paper, there’s enough there to warrant giving him a shot in a scheme that’s more tailored towards his skill set.
