Mike Johnson lobbed a perfectly innocent question at Josh Kendall Tuesday on The Morning Shift. Kendall's answer might raise the collective blood pressure of Falcons Nation.
First-round ol conversation at 10:50
“I wouldn't say it's out of the realm of possibility," Johnson started. "But would you join me in saying that most Falcons fans might lose their mind if we take another offensive player in the first round?”
Kendall, who is the Falcons beat writer for The Athletic, not only said the notion wasn't crazy, but suggested the Falcons could consider an offensive lineman with the 15th-overall pick in the NFL draft, and Falcons fans shouldn't overreact.
“Yeah, I think that they would," said Kendall. "But I think that what [Falcons fans] should do at that moment when they want to throw something through the TV is look to the Eagles and look to the way they built through the trenches and to say, 'OK, any pick spent on an elite lineman should be considered a good pick.'
"I get it as much as anybody from a Falcons fan's perspective of we need X, Y and Z. But I also can see how this team maybe has gotten itself into some trouble by thinking it's one player away. If we just get that, that'll be it. It was quarterback. It was the elite running back. It was Bijan Robinson to unlock the office. It was the generational talent at tight end. The Falcons have felt like we just need this piece for a while now, and that strategy has not been super successful.
"I think if there's an offensive lineman, and there are some tackles in this first round, if there's a guy you love and he's there at 15, I don't think that's a wasted pick at all.”