Falcons' Top QB Options in NFL Draft After Matt Ryan Trade, Marcus Mariota Contract

The Atlanta Falcons didn't take too much time at the quarterback drawing board after trading a franchise legend.

The NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported the NFC South team traded Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2022 third-round draft pick Monday.

That seemed to indicate the Falcons were in the market for a new signal-caller, but they quickly announced they agreed to a two-year deal with free agent Marcus Mariota.

The writing was on the wall even before the official announcement, as Garafolo reported that "Atlanta is expected to pursue a reunion with Mariota and Arthur Smith" seeing how the Falcons head coach was the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans in 2019 when the Oregon product was under center.

ESPN's Dianna Russini also called Mariota "a name to watch" for Atlanta and suggested there were no plans to trade for Baker Mayfield.

That was notable since Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo seemed like the most likely trade options for the Falcons or any team looking for a veteran quarterback at this point. However, they each have health questions after undergoing shoulder surgery and have shown limited ceilings with some turnover concerns.

Mayfield threw 17 touchdowns to 13 interceptions in 2021, while Garoppolo had 20 touchdown passes to 12 picks.

Those numbers came with plenty of weapons for the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers between Deebo Samuel, Nick Chubb, Odell Beckham Jr., George Kittle, Jarvis Landry and more, which may have been alarming for a Falcons team that doesn't have as many game-changers at this point.

Attention now turns to Mariota, but he is also far from a sure thing since he has not started a game since 2019 when he was on the Titans. He backed up Derek Carr the last two years for the Las Vegas Raiders but still posted a 24-19 record as a starter from 2016 through 2018. He can also use his legs as a running threat and is familiar with Smith.

He is a short-term option on a two-year deal, but the draft represents an opportunity to land the next franchise quarterback who can follow in Ryan's footsteps.

The thought here is Liberty's Malik Willis represents the best option at the No. 8 overall pick for an Atlanta team that needs a high-ceiling player.

Willis, who is from Atlanta, completed 61.1 percent of his passes for 2,857 yards, 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while adding 878 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground in his last season at Liberty and would add a running element to the Falcons offense that was largely missing with Ryan under center.

Keeping plays alive figures to be all the more important since the offense is short on game-changing weapons outside of tight end Kyle Pitts and playmaker Cordarrelle Patterson, and Willis can do just that.

"Even though Willis didn't run at the combine, teams have become more comfortable with the risk of developing Willis because the reward of doing so is sky high," Bleacher Report's Nate Tice noted in the most recent big board of prospects from B/R's NFL Scouting Department. "The dual-threat quarterback is the kind of home-run swing teams want to take because of the tantalizing upside he flashes."

Perhaps the Falcons will be swinging for the fences come draft day, but Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder is another option who may have a higher floor.

Ridder helped the Bearcats become the first Group of Five team to reach the College Football Playoff and is someone who could come in and learn under Mariota for some time before eventually taking over.

He isn't the runner that Willis is, but he is elusive enough to avoid pressure in the pocket and make something out of nothing on broken plays. He also showed impressive command of the Cincinnati offense and consistently delivered in big moments.

Mariota is the present for the Falcons, but Willis or Ridder may be the future.