TRADE HUGE BOOST: NFL trade insider reveals Falcons are leading the race to sign Broncos QB after hijacking trade with a blockbuster proposal

The Atlanta Falcons are anticipated to be on the market for a quarterback for the third consecutive offseason. After benching Desmond Ridder twice in favor of veteran backup Taylor Heinicke, the Falcons are left looking for answers at quarterback – and may turn to a nine-time Pro Bowler for help. Russell Wilson, the Denver Broncos’ quarterback who was benched this week due to contractual issues, is anticipated to be released before the new league year begins on March 13, 2024.

According to ESPN, the Falcons, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots, may be interested in Wilson. “Talked to teams who believe like Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New England, a lot of teams could use a good veteran who was still playing relatively well this year,” Jeremy Fowler, an ESPN source, told ESPN.
Wilson will receive a guaranteed $37 million from the Broncos and is likely to find a market once he becomes available. This season, the 35-year-old completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns, and eight interceptions as the Broncos finished 7-8.
Wilson’s two-year stint in Denver comes to an end after an on-field feud with Broncos management, who told the former Seattle Seahawks star he needed to postpone his guaranteed money until 2025. “They came up to me during the beginning of the bye week, Monday or Tuesday, they told me if I didn’t change my contract, my injury guarantee, that I’d be benched the rest of the year,” Wilson told reporters on Friday. Wilson started the following seven games, during which Denver went 4-3… but he’s now poised to sit out the remaining two weeks of the season to observe Jarrett Stidham.

For the Falcons, Heinicke is striving for a great finish in order to turn the team’s meager playoff aspirations into a fairytale ending – but the 30-year-old is unlikely to be back in Atlanta as the starting next season. The job statuses of coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot are important factors in the Falcons’ possible pursuit of Wilson, with the former in particular jeopardy. Falcons to keep Smith and Fontenot? Where has Arthur Blank’s ‘Trending’ gone? If Smith and Fontenot miss the playoffs yet return to their respective roles for a fourth season, it will be postseason or bust.

Would they take such a chance on a rookie quarterback? Perhaps, but for a team in dire need of wins, acquiring a seasoned starter appears to be the most likely option. As a result, with Wilson anticipated to be among the finest veteran options available this offseason, it’s no surprise the Falcons are in this discussion. It’s worth mentioning that Atlanta will play the Broncos in Denver next season, but the consequences of that game are a story for another day.
For the time being, the Falcons (7-8) are focused on the present, with a must-win game against the Chicago Bears (6-9) on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST inside Soldier Field.