JUST IN: NFL GMs weigh in on the cost of a Justin Fields trade for Falcons

I’ve stated repeatedly that the Falcons should be looking for a quarterback this offseason.

Unless something unexpectedly dramatic happens in Desmond Ridder’s game, Atlanta should have a new signal caller in a few months. It’s unclear where that new guy comes from.

If you were to ask me, and since you’re reading this, I’d say Jayden Daniels. As an LSU alum, he may appear biased, and he may be, but the Heisman Trophy winner is electric with his feet and throws the best deep ball in this draft class, which this Falcons offense has been lacking.

 

In terms of pro personnel, my preference would be Kirk Cousins, Kyler Murray, or Justin Fields, with the latter being the most realistic. Cousins is a free agent who will be in high demand. Murray is unlikely to be moved or even be of interest to Atlanta’s brass, but Fields appears to fit the bill of what Arthur Smith is looking for in a quarterback.

If the Bears decide to start over by drafting Caleb Williams, the Georgia native could be on the move this offseason. Fields would then be auctioned off in Chicago, but at what cost?

The price, according to Daniel Jeremiah, would begin with the Sam Darnold trade, which cost the Panthers a second-round pick, a fourth-round pick, and a sixth-round pick. The men in charge of negotiating a potential trade are somewhat in agreement. If you’re a Justin Fields to the Falcons fan, Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports asked seven current GMs what it would potentially cost, and their responses are encouraging.

• “GM one: A second-round and fourth-round pick, pending a “good finish” to the season.
• “GM two: A second-round pick, pending a “strong finish” to the season.”
• “GM three: a third-round pick plus another late-round pick that could escalate one round based on performance.”
• “GM four: one third-round pick in the 2024 draft, one fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft.
• “GM five: a third-round pick or a second-round draft pick for Fields, plus a late-round pick back from the Bears.
• “GMs six and seven had the same proposal: a third-round pick, pending the finish of this season.”

Robinson went on to say that none of the GMs valued him “in the realm of a first-round pick.”

Fields’ contract complicates a trade like this for the Falcons, or any team for that matter. An acquiring team will only pay him $1.61 million in base salary and a $1.61 million roster bonus. However, things get complicated after that.

The acquiring team would have to decide whether to exercise Fields’ fifth-year option in the spring of 2024, which would be a significant risk.

If I were the Falcons, I would make a trade that cost a Day 2 draft pick and decline the fifth-year option. If the 2024 season went well or showed promise, I’d return to the negotiating table to try to work out a deal similar to what Jordan Love and the Packers agreed to this offseason.

If Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith are only interested in a single season, extending him a four-year contract could be a more cost-effective strategy.