Falcons Draft Screamed Desperation
April 24th, 2025
Falcons owner Arthur Blank.
So the Panthers addressed their NFL-worst defense (yards allowed and points allowed) by drafting a wide receiver tonight.
In New Orleans, they passed on drafting a quarterback and picked an offensive linemen.
In Atlanta?
The Falcons got desperate. Kudos to Sage of Tampa Bay Sports Ira Kaufman, who ranted on his podcast about how Falcons owner Arthur Blank has over-the-top urgency to win because old and impatient.
The Falcons drafted versatile edge rusher Jalon Walker out of Georgia at No. 15 overall before trading back into Round 1 at No. 26 overall with the Rams. There, Atlanta got another edge rusher, Jameis Pearce, Jr.
But look at what Atlanta coughed up for Pearce: They got the Rams’ third-round pick at No. 101 overall but lost their second-round pick this year, their 2026 first-round pick and a throw-in seventh-rounder this year.
That’s a crazy ransom, and now Atlanta has two rookie edge rushers — a position where rookies rarely fare well.
Meanwhile, the Bucs added a stud receiver to their everybody’s-back offense that averaged 29.5 points last season and won the NFC South by two games.
It’s going to be another fun year in Tampa.
April 24th, 2025 at 11:59 pm
lol well said
April 25th, 2025 at 12:02 am
The Bucs couldn’t beat Atlanta without a passrush and now they may have one. Nothing fun about that, but hey, we have some depth at wr should someone get hurt…
April 25th, 2025 at 12:02 am
And the bucs addressed their 29th ranked pass defense(yards allowed) by drafting a wide receiver.
April 25th, 2025 at 12:02 am
Um, everybody except the OC who transformed the leafue’s worst run game 2 yrs standing
April 25th, 2025 at 12:04 am
But the new unproven playcaller got another gun in his holster
April 25th, 2025 at 12:05 am
While they gave up a lot, we’ll see if it was worth it.
While other teams are certainly gambling, we’re making safe, marginal (at best) moves, seemingly content with hovering around 9-8. Eventually our division’s counterparts will pass us.
April 25th, 2025 at 12:10 am
As much as I don’t like Atlanta last year and so far this year there drafting is really good
April 25th, 2025 at 12:14 am
I think short term this actually hurts Atlanta a bit since edge rushers generally take time to develop. Doesn’t mean it’s those are bad picks by any means, but it does mean the Bucs window is likely to remain open for at least one more year. Also, the offensive line is the Bucs strength, and I really don’t care who is lining up vs Wirfs, they’re going to be taken out of the game plan – and Luke isn’t quite at that level, but is damn good, so even if they hit on both, which is very unlikely, I think the Bucs tackles would basically cancel them out, certainly in the short term that is the case.
April 25th, 2025 at 12:14 am
agree with Joe! Reminds me when they drafted Takk McKinley–same desperation
April 25th, 2025 at 12:23 am
Looking like trying to catch the Bucs.
We shall see.
Looking like all you need is qb.
We happen to have one.
Is he willing to make his team better?
For the betterment of the team?
April 25th, 2025 at 12:28 am
What a take of two personalities..
Walker.. local kid.. team leader. Outstanding person.
Pearce. From UT and the opposite.
April 25th, 2025 at 12:34 am
These selections had Bowers/Claiborne vibes for sure.
April 25th, 2025 at 12:38 am
Both the Rams and the Browns might be looking good this time next year if they get top 5 or top 10 picks in the first round next year for their trades with the ATL and the London Jaguars. Time will tell. Falsons really gave up a lot for someone who may or may not contibute a lot this season. I agree with Joe, Artie Blank wants to make another run at the playoffs before his time on Earth runs out but this move could also be desperation by Rah, whose D was shredded last year by the lowly Panthers. I wonder if he has any buyers remorse for going with Rah over Belicheat yet?
April 25th, 2025 at 12:38 am
They flat out STOLE Jalon Walker, so I would say that they are fellin’ awfully good right now!!!! I didn’t like it at first, when finding-out they had to give-up next season’s first-rounder, but after thinking about the entire picture, it wasn’t a horrible price to pay for that Tennessee kid, if they REALLY like him. I like BOLD moves, especially in the 1st-Round. And, I like young, fast, high-motor, high-end talent guys with a lot of upside, with high-floors like that, at those particular positions. Wish JL had been ‘bold’ as soon as he saw that Walker slid past New Orleans. THE ‘move’ would’ve been making the deal with Miami… They still could’ve gotten their Alabama Guard at #19, almost guaranteed. And, Jalen Ramsey could’ve just been the icing on the cake. Walker & Ramsey makes us immediate, legitimate “Super Bowl Contenders” (prob a top-7 ‘favorite’). NOW, tho… Idk about all that!? I just hope Mr. JL has some ‘BIG-moves/trades’ in store for the Bucs immediate future, because I’m just NOT ‘seeing-it’ right now, with our current Defense. Remember, IF we hadn’t had THE #1-Weakest Schedule in the entire LEAGUE down the stretch (all during the second-half of the season), AND Atlanta hadn’t absolutely CHOKED the way they did, then The Bucs wouldn’t had even made the Playoffs. And, that was why we were picking at #19, right after the last team that missed the Playoffs. I guess, “JL & Co.” wanted to MAKE SURE there was no major Offensive ‘drop-off’ that everyone could blame on losing Cohen.
April 25th, 2025 at 12:39 am
Drafting to pressure the QB is always a winning move. If the picks work out the price is more than worth it. In fact, they literally took a page out of the Rams book taking two back to back Edge and DT picks that came out gangbusters in 2024.
April 25th, 2025 at 12:41 am
And, I believe that it is crystal clear that NOLA is going ‘ALL-IN’ for Manning, in next season’s draft. They’re already, building-up that OLine, with a Texas-kid too, no doubt. 💯
April 25th, 2025 at 12:41 am
The Bucs added a Michael Clayton clone. Nothing super special, but does everything pretty good, and is a really good blocker. That’s great, doesn’t help us unless we lose Godwin and Evans long term again. Really boring pick for a wide receiver, and didn’t fix any needs on our team.
April 25th, 2025 at 12:44 am
If it works out forAtlanta, it’s the anomaly. What’s the percentage of edge rushers that live up to the hype in the first two rounds? 25%?
Odds are they threw away a few draft picks (including a first rounder next year) and one of those rushers will be JTS.
What really jumped out to me is the front seven on defense Philly has put together over the last few years
April 25th, 2025 at 12:45 am
I agree about being kind of desperate for Pearce, but completely disagree about Walker.
That kid looks to be a stud and Atlanta is beyond lucky that he fell to them.
April 25th, 2025 at 12:46 am
MelvinJr
Maybe. But there were no quarterbacks worthy of the first round this year except maybe Ward so it was kind of smart on most teams to pass it up. Can’t blame Giants for getting Dart later in the first round because they already got their Real first pic earlier
April 25th, 2025 at 12:47 am
@MelvinJunior – so what? weeks 1 – 10 of the season we had the #1 hardest schedule in the entire league…
April 25th, 2025 at 12:52 am
Whiteboy Says:
The Bucs added a Michael Clayton clone. Nothing super special, but does everything pretty good, and is a really good blocker. That’s great, doesn’t help us unless we lose Godwin and Evans long term again. Really boring pick for a wide receiver, and didn’t fix any needs on our team.
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That is the single laziest take I’ve seen on any WR in the history of football. You make the people in your life dumber for having known you.
April 25th, 2025 at 12:53 am
ATL still sucks
April 25th, 2025 at 1:02 am
ATL might’ve lost their 2nd, BUT they moved-up 20-SPOTS back into the 1st-Round (all the way from 46 to 26), AND they got the Rams 3rd-Rounder. They gave-up next year’s #1 and a 7th. That’s NOT a “ransom.” If they were really ‘high’ on the kid, then it’s totally worth-it! UNLESS, it turns-out they’re picking in the ‘Top-5/10’ in next year’s draft, then that could end-up being a different discussion. But, I’m guessing that they’re feeling pretty damn good about it about right now… They had Jalon Walker fall right into their LAPS and stole him. So, they had to be thinking that they were playing with ‘house money’ at that point. And, they REALLY NEEDED to get young, fast, physical, and energetic up there, at those positions. BOTH of those guys are going to be all over that field, making plays, while being a big thorn in the Bucs side for the years to come. So, I’m not hatin’ on ‘em for it. And, I don’t blame Carolina for taking TMac, either. This is a HUGE year for BYoung, & they’re gonna have to make a decision soon, about how much they’re gonna have to pay him!!!!
April 25th, 2025 at 1:03 am
Our wide receiver, who’s name can’t spell or pronounce, showed excited to move into a top 5 offense.
April 25th, 2025 at 1:04 am
There isn’t much else to say that hasn’t already been said about the pick….
Truth is that he’s an excellent pick. BUT…. It just doesn’t feel right. In fact it Does feel cute and actually it feels pretty Risky to have not gone heavy into defense, IMMEDIATELY this year.
REALLY RISKY!
I’m not sure how Jason’s going to pull a big enough rabbit out of his hat at this point to sooth this uneasy feeling I have about this direction. Especially “At This Time” but he had better bring the Luckiest Top Hat he has!
Hey Jason, Impress Us Buddy! This feels hinkle considering the realities. I think the phase that comes to mind is “Ballsy. Stupid but Ballsy”
Great pick though. Just feels like bad timing. We WILL See….
April 25th, 2025 at 1:13 am
“rookie edge rushers — a position where rookies rarely fare well.” – Joe
Weren’t we hoping for one?
April 25th, 2025 at 1:22 am
Pearce is a bust in waiting.
April 25th, 2025 at 1:26 am
People who say Egbuka is nothing special, I’d say look at his production. Read up on what the scouting reports say on his skills as a route runner, his competitiveness, leadership. He is a winner and a virtual guarantee to succeed. Perhaps some of you are enamored with highlight reel players or combine freaks who play for losing teams.
April 25th, 2025 at 1:26 am
So what, “unbelievable!?” All I was saying, was that IF it hadn’t been THE absolute ‘weakest’ – say 20th ‘weakest’ – then we prob wouldn’t have made the Playoffs, AND that “Defense” definitely, wouldn’t have ‘looked’ as good as it did. I mean, come-on… The QB’s we faced during that stretch were DeVito/Lock, Ridder/O’Connell, Cooper Friggin’ Rush, Bryce Young TWICE, Rattler, & a HORRIBLE (and ‘banged-up’ at the time) Chargers Offense, without ANY RB’s or WR’s, AND a badly ‘beaten-up’ Herbert. It was A LOT of “Smoke & Mirrors.”
April 25th, 2025 at 1:57 am
“Obvious One” – YOU hit the nail on the head. That is exactly, how I am feeling. Even a couple of hours later, I am STILL just sitting here, feeling extremely unfulfilled. Immediately afterwards, I was like, meh… I was really high on the kid, and really enjoyed watching him play for OSU (seemed-like he was there FOREVER). BUT, he will be 23 years old this year in October, his rookie-season. And, it worries me that they must not have complete confidence in Chris being all they way back, & etc. It just doesn’t make any sense. Shocking to me that you don’t at least take Barron, Hairston, Harmon, or even a Jihaad, as far as that goes, or at least the 4.2/40 Texas-Kid Golden!? I mean, hell… Even, Green or the BC EDGE would’ve made a HELLUVA lot more sense!? Mind-Blowing that you couldn’t trade-UP for Jalon Walker, when I’ve never seen it before, where ‘the cost’ to do so, was ever LESS than, what it was in this year’s draft!? Yeah, it’s a real weird feeling.
April 25th, 2025 at 2:09 am
Melvin – you might very well be right. The Aints are old. Spencer Rattler is their future right now. Hahaha. Arch where his gramps played? The narrative gets delicious for them. Tanking for Arch. I’m bought in.
April 25th, 2025 at 2:18 am
NO, “FilthyAnimal.” That is NOT the point. I really like the kid A LOT at OSU (and I don’t need a ‘scouting report’)… I watch A LOT of College Football. Always have. Religiously, since I was 7 (48 now). It was a reach to begin with at 19. He’s not big or fast. He’s a nice solid player, ‘good kid,’ reliable, and dependable. He will have a long, sold NFL career, & make a lot of money. We just had MUCH MORE immediate, pressing needs than at WR right now, & we could’ve gotten one later (prob one with very similar ‘measurable’ at least). How many OSU games did YOU truly watch??? He NEVER had to contend with ANY ‘double-teams’ or defenses schemed up to stop HIM. Because, he was ALWAYS, their #2 or #3 WR there, & he benefitted GREATLY from this. Just Sayin. It has to make you at least a little concerned about Godwin. Wonder what JMac thinks about it? Prob not very happy. I bet it’s a face-saving measure, in order to help make SURE, that the Offense doesn’t IMPLODE this season. So, that everyone doesn’t place all the blame on the FO for allowing Cohen to leave. They’re makin’ DAMN SURE that ain’t happenin.’
April 25th, 2025 at 2:24 am
Oh, you KNOW-IT 💯, “Aqualung!”
April 25th, 2025 at 2:27 am
Whiteboy Says:
The Bucs added a Michael Clayton clone.
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Clayton was 6′ 3″ and ran a 4.67 40, they’re literally nothing alike.
April 25th, 2025 at 6:18 am
Doesn’t matter who they have or draft Raheem will screw it up
April 25th, 2025 at 6:18 am
I like our OTs against these kids. How about we just pound their little arses?