Raheem Morris Offers Brutally Honest Appraisal of Falcons’ QB Situation

The new coach stopped just short of guaranteeing the Atlanta Falcons will have a new starting quarterback in 2024.

Raheem Morris took a shot at the Atlanta Falcons’ current quarterback situation, without much subtlety, when he spoke at the NFL scouting combine Tuesday in Indianapolis.

“If we had better quarterback play, I’m probably not standing here at this podium,” Morris said.

Morris, who takes over as head coach from Arthur Smith, who was fired Jan. 8, didn’t name names. But he clearly implied that Atlanta intends to bring in new blood at the quarterback position. The Falcons used both Taylor Heinicke and Desmond Ridder as starting quarterbacks in compiling a 7–10 record last season. 

“I won’t bring up names,” Morris continued, via Pro Football Talk. “But when you’re going through the process, you have everything open. We’ve got so many avenues right now, because we have free agency money, we have the ability to trade, whether it be trade for a player with a team, or be it trade up or back in the draft. It’s just really about the different scenarios you want to have at the quarterback position.”

Ridder threw for 2,836 yards with 12 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions and an 83.4 passer rating in 15 games last season (going 6–7 in 13 starts). Heinicke recorded 890 passing yards and five touchdown passes to four interceptions and a 74.7 passer rating in five appearances (going 1–3 in four starts).

The Falcons hold the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL draft.