Oregon Duck fans who are also fans of the NFL received a big boost earlier this week when Oregon legend Marcus Mariota signed a free-agent deal with the Atlanta Falcons. At long last, Mariota has another chance to be the starting quarterback after spending a few years as the backup to Derek Carr with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Falcons give Mariota a great chance to step in as the starter from Day 1, since Atlanta traded Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts. Now, the former Heisman winner will reunite with his former coordinator, Arthur Smith, who is the new head coach of the Falcons, and hopefully show he is capable of being a consistent starter in the league.
Finding success is going to be a challenge, though.
Atlanta’s roster is not exactly set up to contend now. With one of the worst offensive lines in the league, plus a barren wide receiver corps and thin defensive line, the Falcons project to miss the playoffs once again next season. Last year, they drafted tight end Kyle Pitts in the first round, who looks to be a future all-pro. However, WR Julio Jones left and WR Calvin Ridley was suspended for a year, so Mariota might have trouble finding help around him on offense.
That is where this year’s NFL draft comes into play. The Falcons hold the No. 8 pick and have a chance to add a blue-chip piece to the roster that can help Mariota. But who should they take with that pick? Here are a few options: