This summer, the Falcons will acquire at least one quarterback; the only question is which one.
Terry Fontenot is anticipated to be aggressive in trying to move up in the draft to find the future signal caller, who is clearly their best choice. However, it is certainly possible, and maybe even likely, that the Falcons will not have the opportunity.
There must be a backup plan, but what is it?
Trading for Justin Fields might definitely be an option. Signing Kirk Cousins or Baker Mayfield might possibly be in the cards for Atlanta. However, each of these acquisitions is fraught with difficulty. The Falcons may be concerned about Fields’ fit in Zac Robinson’s offence, while Cousins and Mayfield may re-sign with their respective teams.
Where does this leave the Falcons? Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris might wind up bringing Russell Wilson to Atlanta. There is one reason Wilson is a desirable target.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Wilson may be willing to accept the veteran’s minimum after the Broncos release him.
“Everybody I’ve talked to around the league expects the Denver Broncos at some point around the new league year in the next few weeks to rip the band-aid off and release Russell Wilson even though they owe him $39 million in guaranteed money,” Fowler said on SportsCenter, according to Bleacher Report “But they can start over; he can sign somewhere else. He’s expected to sign for much less, possibly even the league minimum, because he has all of that money guaranteed. So he’ll have options. According to what I’ve heard from teams and scouts, he’s still an NFL starter, and he’ll find work someplace.
Denver owes Wilson $39 million next season, but if he remains on the roster by March 17, the club may guarantee his 2025 salary of $37 million, making Wilson’s free agency almost inevitable.
Wilson’s contract states that anything he earns next season with another team is offset by the money Denver owes him. In theory, the Falcons could contract the veteran for the league minimum in 2024 and guarantee him a salary in 2025.
Obviously, Wilson isn’t on par with Kirk Cousins or even Baker Mayfield at this point in his career, but the league minimum for a starting quarterback is highway robbery.
The Falcons could effectively spend all of their free agent dollars on defence and support personnel. There are many reasons to despise Russell Wilson as a prospective target, but the most compelling aspect of his potential free agency is the cost of obtaining him.
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