The Atlanta Falcons paid up in a major way to land Kirk Cousins, the consensus best quarterback available in free agency. It was a move designed to help them win in the here and now, with Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson getting their veteran equivalent to Matthew Stafford or Matt Ryan for a roster they clearly felt was ready to contend. There were long-term questions at the position, sure, but that didn’t necessarily demand an instant fix.
The Falcons instead decided to secure that long-term fix—and again, that’s their perception, not a rock-solid outcome—in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.