A new era has started at the Atlanta Falcons with Raheem Morris taking over the head coaching duties for the 2024 NFL season. Though there’s still a long way to go for Week 1, it’s safe to say the team is not projecting its future with Desmond Ridder or Taylor Heinicke at QB1.
“If we had better quarterback play, I’m probably not standing here at this podium,” Morris told reporters at the Scouting Combine on Tuesday, as quoted by Pro Football Talk.
The 47-year-old is replacing Arthur Smith, who was fired after three consecutive seasons with a 7-10 record and no postseason appearances. His biggest challenge will probably be to solve the Falcons’ problem at quarterback, as the franchise has struggled since parting with longtime QB Matt Ryan in 2022.
Marcus Mariota was Atlanta’s first option in the post-Ryan era, but it wasn’t long before the veteran QB was replaced by Ridder, who was still a rookie by then. However, the third-round pick ended up being benched by Heinicke in 2023. With Morris making his thoughts clear on the Falcons’ QB play, the question is who will lead the offense from now on.
Raheem Morris speaks to the media after being introduced as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 05, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.
“I won’t bring up names,” Morris said. “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.”
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The 19th head coach in franchise history, Morris faces the task of turning the Falcons around after years of misery. He arrives in Atlanta with a strong reputation from his time with the Los Angeles Rams, where he served as defensive coordinator from 2021 to 2023.
In fact, Morris has such an interesting profile that the Falcons chose him over former New England Patriots coach and six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick, who interviewed twice for the job.
Morris’ work in LA included the Rams’ Super Bowl victory in 2022, with their defense ranking fourth in red zone efficiency rating and seventh in fewest rushing yards per game in the league over the last three seasons.
But the question is whether he’ll be able to fix an offense that has struggled since Ryan left the organization two years ago. Morris’ strength to run a defense is unquestionable, but his ability to upgrade an offense will be put to the test this year.
