Seeking more selections, Atlanta swaps down in this hypothetical.
In Eric Edholm’s mock draft 2.0, he has the Atlanta Falcons trading with a team they’ve been linked to all offseason, but it’s not the exchange many had in mind.
He has the Falcons trading out of Round 1 with the Cleveland Browns, with Kirk Cousins nowhere in sight.
Edholm’s proposal:
Browns acquire
- Pick 15 (used on Shedeur Sanders)
Falcons acquire
- Pick 33 (used on Walter Nolen)
- Pick 67
- Pick 104
Cousins to Cleveland has been the trade on most fans’ minds, but this is a real blockbuster deal that would benefit both franchises. Cleveland can close the chapter on Deshaun Watson, and Atlanta can get enough picks to attack their needs in a meaningful way.
Leaving Day 1 of the NFL Draft with nothing doesn’t sound like a recipe for success, but given the depth of this class and the value of the Browns draft picks, the Falcons can get away with doing what they love: ignoring the status quo. Walter Nolen would be a steal at pick 33, and if you don’t believe he’ll make it there, that’s fair, but the reality is, someone will.
Walter Nolen (#2) doing Jalen Carter type stuff pic.twitter.com/P8VoXac3XB
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) January 28, 2025
This class is one of the deepest we’ve seen across the defensive line, and there are only 32 picks on Day 1. So whether it’s Walter Nolen, Nic Scourton, or Donovan Ezeiruaku Williams, a first-round talent will almost certainly be waiting for the Falcons at the top of round 2. The Falcons will also get first dibs in rounds 3 and 4, making this trade all the more worth it. With three Day 2 picks, the Falcons can take swings on a center, a pass rusher, and a slot DB, with two fourth-rounders to spare.
This is a trade package general managers dream about. Will Sanders fall to 15? Crazier events have unfolded on the league’s biggest offseason stage. The other side to this situation is that the Falcons lose their best trade partner for Kirk Cousins. While moving the quarterback is a priority, this trade is worth far more than the potential 6th or 7th round pick the team would get for him.
How do you feel about the team making an aggressive trade like the one proposed, and do you believe the Falcons could make the most of it?