What now for Falcons, Saints after missing on Deshaun Watson?
The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints missed out on Deshaun Watson. What does eat team do now that Watson went to Cleveland?
Tough day to be the Atlanta Falcons or New Orleans Saints.
After a week of being in the running for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, it’s been reported the Texans will be trading him to the Cleveland Browns. While the deal needs to be completed, it’s expected to get done, creating a huge problem for the two NFC South team wondering what went wrong.
Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints were the finalists when Deshaun Watson informed the Cleveland Browns they were eliminated before quarterback changed his mind and got a $230 million payday in process, per league sources. Next step: hammering out trade terms
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 18, 2022
For Atlanta, the situation is a bit more clear. The Falcons are almost certainly going to hold onto Matt Ryan, who is under contract for the next two years. Ryan can be the bridge to ether a young draft pick or a veteran quarterback acquired at another time. All told, Atlanta still has a good signal-caller who can win games, provided the rest of the roster does its job.
What are the Saints and Falcons going to do after missing on Deshaun Watson?
As for the Saints, it’s uglier. They are currently strapped to the salary cap and only have Taysom Hill as a real option under center. Hill is maxed out as a talent, already in his 30s without showing much promise as a franchise quarterback.
New Orleans could turn its attention to the San Francisco 49ers, who have Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo is entering the final year of his deal and will likely be traded as the Niners look to give second-year man Trey Lance the job. Additionally, does Saints general manager Mickey Loomis give the Browns a call about Baker Mayfield?
All options are on the table, but right now, the Falcons are in much better position than their rivals to the west.