Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Terry Fontenot admits Falcons receiving a lot of calls for #8 pick

Originally posted on SportsTalkATL | By Chase Irle | Last updated 4/23/24

Despite all of the rumors and reports, nobody, not even the Falcons, is quite sure who will be joining the organization during the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday.

Most expect the Falcons to take a defensive player because of their needs on that side of the ball, particularly off the edge and at cornerback. But if Terry Fontenot has proven anything over his tenure as general manager, need will not dictate who Atlanta will take in the first round. A wide receiver could be the best player available at pick eight, which would also fill a need, or the Falcons could do something they don’t normally do, trade out of the pick altogether and move down the board.

At Tuesday’s press conference ahead of the NFL Draft, Fontenot confirmed that there have been a lot of “exploratory” calls regarding the Falcons 8th pick.

#Falcons Fontenot on the mechanics of trading down: We know the teams who have real interest at this point. We're having those calls and communication. Then you know, if a certain player starts to fall, who could be interested when you're on the clock.

— Kevin Knight (@FalcoholicKevin) April 23, 2024

#Falcons Terry Fontenot made it clear in the press conference that Atlanta is already fielding a lot of exploratory calls from interested teams.

Sounds like a trade down likely depends on who is still on the board at 8.

— Kevin Knight (@FalcoholicKevin) April 23, 2024

For a team with multiple glaring needs like the Falcons, trading down and accumulating extra draft capital always seems like a bright idea, but it rarely happens.

With that being said, if there were ever a draft where trading down would make a lot of sense, this would be it for Atlanta. The Falcons are just about set from an offensive perspective, and this is a draft that is offense-heavy. A plethora of teams will be attempting to move up the board to land a specific prospect, whether it be a quarterback, wide receiver, or offensive tackle.

If the Falcons have decided this is going to be a defensive-focused draft, moving down could be in the cards because I’m not sure there is a defender worth taking in the top 10 picks. I still think it’s most likely Terry Fontenot stands pat and takes who he believes is the best player available because there will be a slew of enticing prospects remaining on the board, but for the first time in a while, the Falcons might seriously be considering trading down with a team currently behind them.

This article first appeared on SportsTalkATL and was syndicated with permission.

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