NFL Executive Predicts Bill Belichick, This Veteran QB Join Falcons

There's a lot for Bill Belichick to like about the Falcons, but there is one major area of concern in Atlanta.

Arthur Blank's team currently does not have even a serviceable starting quarterback in the building. Desmond Ridder, a 2022 third-round draft pick, clearly isn't the guy and Taylor Heinicke is best suited as a backup. However, when you look at the rest of the Falcons roster, you can argue Atlanta only is a legitimate signal-caller away from being a very competitive team.

So, the incoming head coach should make filling that void his biggest priority. One NFL executive believes that assignment will belong to Belichick, who will turn to a reliable veteran.

"(Belichick) can help a talented yet underachieving team, and Atlanta is that. (Kirk) Cousins would be a great fit there," the exec told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Some worries come with Cousins, who is an impending free agent and turns 36 years old in late August. A torn Achilles suffered Oct. 29 might prevent him from being ready for the start of the 2024 season, and even when he's back on the field, it's far from a guarantee that he will be great when the team needs him to be. Cousins has a tendency to struggle in primetime games and owns a 1-3 career playoff record.

But if history tells us anything, Belichick believes he can work with any quarterback. And Cousins already has stated that he wouldn't turn down the opportunity to play under a future Pro Football Hall of Fame coach.