Falcon Report

Should Falcons Cut Marcus Mariota, Sign Browns QB Jacoby Brissett?

Jacoby Brissett is looking for a new home this offseason. Could that be with the Atlanta Falcons?

Jeremy Brener

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The Atlanta Falcons are once again in the quarterback free agent market this offseason.

After a disappointing 7-10 season that resulted in the fifth straight year of missing the postseason, the Falcons will look to re-shuffle the deck at the quarterback position.

The team could stick with third-round rookie Desmond Ridder, but he will need some company in the quarterback room. 

ESPN simulated the offseason and suggested that the Falcons could offer a contract to Cleveland Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

Brissett, 30, started 11 games for the Browns, filling in for suspended quarterback Deshaun Watson and went 4-7 as a starter.

He has a lot of experience as a part-time starter, filling in games for the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins and Browns throughout his seven-year career.

He also has a tendency to play mobile, which is a preferred tool in Arthur Smith's offense.

Brissett threw for 2608 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions, which is very similar to Marcus Mariota's numbers.

Mariota threw for 2219 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine picks in 13 games with the Falcons this past season. He is under contract for the upcoming season with a $14.5 million cap hit, but the Falcons can save $12 million if they cut him before June, which is why ESPN projects that Atlanta will part ways with the former No. 2 pick after one season.

Should Brissett be the replacement for Mariota, it likely pits a direct competition between him and Ridder for the starting job, with the latter the likely favorite.

The Falcons could go for a pricier quarterback with a higher ceiling like Derek Carr or Jimmy Garoppolo, but going for a cheaper option like Brissett would show some trust in Ridder and give him a chance to be the franchise guy moving forward.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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