(10-22-2019, 01:27 AM)Bullseye Wrote:

(10-22-2019, 01:06 AM)TheO-LineMatters Wrote: I just saw on the NFL channel that it appears the Atlanta Falcons will be sellers before the trade deadline and are looking to add draft picks. Austin Hooper ranks just behind Travis Kelce as the top receiving TE in the NFL this year with 526 yards and 4 touchdowns on a very bad team. He is also an UFA at the end of the season. If we could work out a trade with the Falcons and with Hooper's agent on a new deal, what would you give up, in order to get him? Or would you just hope we could salvage the season with what we have and try to draft a TE in 2020, even though this next draft class is way less talented than the 2019 class? 

Given that we're likely gonna spend a high draft pick on a TE in the draft or we may be competing in free agency for Hooper's services anyway, I'd probably offer a 2nd rounder to get him, as long as he agrees to a new contract as part of the deal.

I gave been kicking around the idea of using some of our draft capital on trading for a TE, most notably OJ Howard.

I am not necessarily opposed to acquiring a TE for a pick, however:

1.  A guy like Hooper is exactly the guy a team like Atlanta should want to keep in this rebuild.  I could be wrong, but I don't see the Falcons getting rid of him.

2.  I would hasten to remind you that while we have more picks than normal-especially high picks, we aren't exactly flush, either.

Agreed. I just look at the next draft and other than Albert Okwuegbunam of Missouri, there isn't much to pick from in the next draft class. There is a steep drop off after him, unless you wanna spend a 2nd round pick on a guy like Jacob Breeland of Oregon, who has tremendous upside, but just tore his ACL and may be out for much of 2020. As far as free agency, other than Hooper, our best shot might be Chargers TE Hunter Henry. He has loads of talent, but his NFL career has been riddled with injuries.

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