NFC Notes: Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Falcons

Some made the case that the Falcons would have been better off using the No. 4 overall pick on a quarterback such as Justin Fields this year instead of taking TE Kyle Pitts. 

However, it sounds like the feeling around the league is that Atlanta made the right move. 

“It’s not like other teams were clamoring to get to five, six, seven, eight, nine so they could get Fields,” an executive tells Mike Sando of The Athletic. 

“It’s one thing when you’re sitting up there saying, ‘Hey, we hope not to be picking this high and we just have to take a quarterback,’ ” an exec explained. “I don’t know if that is true if you are getting the fourth quarterback in the class.”

“Look, other teams in the top 10 decided to go with Jared Goff, Sam Darnold, and Drew Lock instead of Fields, and none of those guys are Matt Ryan,” an exec said. “Fields could still be the best of all of them, but the way the world saw it means the Falcons probably did the right thing.”

An executive tells Sando that even if Matt Ryan plays poorly in 2021, it’s not out of the question that the Falcons could be in a similar position next year to possibly get a quarterback. 

“Arthur Blank is a win-now person,” an exec said. “Given their cap situation, their best situation is to get good play out of Matt Ryan for a couple of years. I didn’t view it as an opportunity cost for them not taking a QB. If Matt Ryan isn’t any good, you are probably picking up there again anyway. If he is good, you could be right back in this thing as the seventh seed.”

Panthers

Panthers GM Scott Fitterer reiterated his belief in recently acquired QB Sam Darnold and feels they’ve properly surrounded him with talent. 

“We went out and traded for Sam because we saw the talent on tape. We think we can help him,” Fitterer said, via SiriusXM NFL Radio. “We want him to kind of just flush what’s happened. He’s only 23 years old. He played in a big media market, a high-round pick. Just come here, let the players down here help you out. We surrounded him with a lot of good talent at receiver, we have the best running back in football, we’re going to have a really strong offensive line, and we’ve added to our defense. All of that plays together.”

Fitterer added that Darnold is working with OC Joe Brady and QBs coach Sean Ryan on playing at a comfortable level. 

“He doesn’t just have to do it by himself. He just has to be Sam and work with [offensive coordinator] Joe [Brady], work with Sean Ryan, our quarterbacks’ coach. Don’t try to make the big plays, don’t try to go outside of himself. Just play football. Play it fast, play it loose and let the guys make plays with you.”

Saints

• According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, the Cardinals and Saints had a deal in place that would have allowed New Orleans to jump ahead in the draft and select Alabama QB Mac Jones if the Patriots passed on him at pick No. 15. The Patriots reportedly would have taken LB Zaven Collins if they did not select Jones with the pick.