The Atlanta Falcons did what everyone was expecting them to and drafted defense in the first round. The team needed a pass rusher more than any other position after ranking near the bottom in sacks last season. They addressed the need slightly in free agency with the goal to get their potential starter in the draft. Vic Beasley returns to his hometown to play for the Falcons, but is there still a trade in the forecast for the team?
With the No. 8 pick the Falcons selected Beasley after head coach Dan Quinn favored his speed and aggressiveness on the field when he played for Clemson. Quinn and Beasley are very familiar with one another after the coach recruited the pass rusher while working for Florida. The Falcons need Beasley to be an immediate starter for the team, but could they still add to the defensive line with a trade?
On Thursday, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reported that the Falcons are being linked to a trade deal for Bruce Irvin after the Seattle Seahawks announced they would not be picking up the option on his contract. A deal with the Falcons makes sense on the surface considering Irvin and Quinn have had a great deal of success together and the Falcons can really use as many pass rushers as they can get.
ESPN's Danny O'Neil denied the report that the Seahawks are shopping Irvin after not picking up his option and the team fully intends to re-sign the defensive end in the offseason. Seattle risks losing Irvin for nothing in return. The team is preparing to shell out a lot of cash for Russell Wilson after already re-signing a good portion of their defense. If Irvin has a strong season he will command a lot of money and the Seahawks might not reach his demands. However, that does not mean a trade is in the works this season.
The second and third rounds of the draft could see skill position players heading to Atlanta. After avoiding Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon in the first round, the Falcons still need running back help. Plenty of great options remain on the draft board as Atlanta could target TJ Yeldon, Tevin Coleman or Duke Johnson. They could also take a wide receiver in Devin Smith, Jaelen Strong or Chris Conley in the next two rounds to add to the rotation.