The Atlanta Falcons turned down an obvious trade during the NFL Draft

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THE Atlanta Falcons declined trade to Chicago Bears for 2024 Games NFL Draft that would have seen the team select a fourth-round pick to move back one spot from No. 8 to No. 9.

The trade was revealed via a documentary series that followed the Bears and general manager Ryan Poles throughout the draft process.

It’s just the latest in a series of confusing moves from a Falcons franchise that appears to lack any direction.

The Falcons, of course, were the talk of the town in the first round of the NFL Draft. But not for a good reason.

Atlanta used the No. 8 overall pick on Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. While that alone was considered a reach by some, it’s compounded by the Falcons giving him a long-term contract term and important to Kirk Cousins ​​​​in free agency.

Atlanta general manager Terry Fontenot didn’t help matters later when he struggled to explain the rationale for the pick.

“We would have liked to add that position, but you don’t want to force the range or do something you shouldn’t,” Fontenot said when asked why his team didn’t draft a cornerback.

Except that drafting your quarterback of the future at No. 8 when you have other glaring needs is just that, a reach.

So why is returning rejected transactions so bad?

Well, the Chicago Bears drafted quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick in the draft. They then selected Washington receiver Rome Odunze at No. 9 overall.

Chicago attempted to move up to No. 8 to select Odunze.

But Atlanta didn’t want to back down.

For what? Nobody seems to know.

The Falcons clearly wanted Penix Jr. And Chicago was Never is going to select another quarterback at No. 8. So Atlanta would have received, essentially, a free fourth-round pick.

Instead, they stayed put, didn’t get the extra pick, and recently lost a 2025 fifth-round pick for tampering with Cousins, who they don’t seem to have much confidence in.