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The Atlanta Falcons lost top backup quarterback A.J. McCarron for the season to a torn ACL he suffered in Saturday’s preseason game against the Miami Dolphins.
This is a less-than-ideal scenario for new head coach Arthur Smith and Co. Should something happen to starting quarterback Matt Ryan, the Falcons would be in a world of trouble. Right now, youngster Feleipe Franks would be considered the top backup to Ryan. He’s nowhere near capable of leading a team in the regular season.
With the NFL free-agent market at quarterback watered down and very few options on the trade block, the Atlanta Falcons are prepared to get to work in order to find a backup for Ryan.
“You’re always going to look to improve the team,” Smith said recently, via The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “So, we have to assess and see what the injury is. Until you get a MRI, we’ve seen things happen before. It was quick. But anytime we are always looking to improve the roster. If it is long-term, we’ll continue to look there.”
Below, we look at some options for the Falcons as they attempt to find a qualified backup for Mr. Ryan.
Atlanta Falcons sign Josh Rosen
Just recently waived by the San Francisco 49ers, Rosen has familiarity in the same type of scheme that the Falcons run. Whether Atlanta sees the former top-10 pick as a capable QB2 remains to be seen. Rosen has not thrown a regular-season pass since back in 2019 when he was a member of the Miami Dolphins.
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Having played for four teams since entering the league back in 2018, Rosen is now seen as a journeyman. Perhaps, the Falcons believe they can get more out of him with Matt Ryan acting as a veteran presence. Given how limited Atlanta’s options are, this might make sense.
Atlanta Falcons trade for Gardner Minshew
A former late-round pick of the Jaguars, Gardner Minshew is still technically involved in a quarterback competition with rookie No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence. But that seems to be more of a facade put on by new Jags head coach Urban Meyer. Realistically, Jacksonville’s public stance on the situation has more to do with upping Minshew’s trade value.
As for what Minshew would bring to Atlanta, he’s been a darn good quarterback throughout his first two NFL seasons. In 23 games (20 starts), the former Washington State star has compiled 37 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. He’s on a rookie contract and would come cheap from a financial perspective. The one issue here is Minshew’s belief that he should be a starting quarterback. That obviously wouldn’t be the case with the Atlanta Falcons short of Ryan suffering an injury.
Atlanta Falcons trade for Marcus Mariota
Currently Derek Carr’s top backup in Las Vegas, Mariota played under Arthur Smith for five seasons with the Tennessee Titans. While that five-year marriage did not end on a good note, there’s a chance that this familiarity could lead to a reunion.
Mariota, 27, just signed a restructured contract with the Raiders. Said contract includes a no-trade clause. Would he waive it to head to the Atlanta Falcons? We’re not too sure. If so, this might be the best fit.