NFL Rumors: Rams, Falcons Linked as 'Curveball' Teams Who Could Pick QB in 2024 Draft

Keep an eye on the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Rams at the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night.

Albert Breer of SI.com reported that both are "curveball quarterback teams," noting that the Falcons worked out Michael Penix Jr. in Seattle and had a visit planned with J.J. McCarthy before it was ultimately cancelled.

As he wrote: "Sitting there at No. 8, either of those two could fall right in the laps of general manager Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris, with Kirk Cousins giving them the flexibility to sit the new guy for two to three years on a Jordan Love-like plan."

Breer added that he's heard the Rams "connected" to Bo Nix, given that his father, Patrick Nix, played college football with Los Angeles general manager Les Snead at Auburn in the 1990s. Per that report, "the two still have a relationship, so at the very least the intel the Rams have gotten on him is good."

The Rams also have an older quarterback in Matthew Stafford, who is 36, so a succession plan would make sense.

Granted, this level of buzz could also be a signal to quarterback-needy teams around the NFL that if they want to get a player like McCarthy or Penix, they may need to swing a deal with the Falcons at No. 8, while coveting Nix might require getting up to No. 19, where the Rams pick.

It's smoke screen season, and both the Falcons and Rams might be interested in moving down the draft board to accumulate more picks. The best way to ensure teams come calling is dangling some intel that particular quarterbacks may not get past Atlanta or Los Angeles.