Friday open thread: Which player on the Falcons would you want on the Lions roster?

Each week, as part of our game preview articles, I’ll be using the Question of the Day post to examine the roster of the Detroit Lions’ upcoming opponent. I’ll sort through their top players, then present the following question to the fans base:

Which player on the Falcons would you want on the Lions roster?

Like the Lions, the Atlanta Falcons have a new general manager and head coach. They’re not as deep in the weeds of a rebuild like Detroit, but not all of their young talent is meshing, and as Jeremy Reisman put it, their 6-8 record feels a bit like fool’s gold.

But the talent remains, and this exercise is all about figuring out which player would most benefit the Lions if poached away. So with that in mind, here are the Falcons top options:

WR, Russell Gage: At just 25-years-old, the former LSU sixth-round pick as leveled up his game, after Calvin Ridley stepped away to focus on his mental health. With defenses turning their attention to the Falcons rookie tight end, Gage has benefitted with more opportunities and answered the bell. In the past five games, Gage has received PFF grades of 73.2, 75, 72.9, 63.3, and 78.4, accounting for 24 receptions for 507 yards and two touchdowns. He is a free agent after this season.

TE, Kyle Pitts: Tight ends typically struggle in their rookie seasons, but Pitts is not just a tight end, so that may explain his statistical output: 58 receptions for 847 yards and a touchdown. There are signs he is human though. He hasn’t had a game with over 100 receiving yards since Week 7, and only one touchdown score stands out like a sore thumb on the stat sheet, but defenses have already begun rolling coverage his way, which surely accounts for his moderate numbers over the past two months.

DL Grady Jarrett: At 29-years-old, Jarrett has been one of the most consistent defensive linemen in the NFL for years now. In 2019, he was rewarded with a four-year $68 million contract, but it’ll be interesting to see if he will play out the final year of it next season. Set to make $23.8 million in 2022, the cap-strapped Falcons (less than $15 million in projected space) may consider making him a cap casualty as they would free up $16.5 million by moving on.

CB AJ Terrell: The Falcons 2020 first-round selection (16th overall) has dominated in his second year, earning a coverage grade of 90.2 from PFF. He is easily the best player on a bad defense, and offenses have made a habit of avoiding him and targeting the other, easier options. Signed for at least two, and likely three, more seasons, Terrell is a foundational piece to build around.

My choice: Kyle Pitts

Bottom line, the Lions need playmakers and Pitts, and as we heard (ad nauseam) leading up to last year’s draft, is loaded with offensive potential. Pitts was one of just four rookies to be nominated to this year’s Pro Bowl, carries a stellar 77.9 overall grade from PFF, and is under contract for, at minimum, 3 more seasons, with a team options after that.

The Lions never had a chance to consider taking Pitts in last year’s NFL draft—he went fourth overall—but in this exercise, he’d be the perfect addition.

Am I right? Wrong? Which Falcons player would you steal away? Vote in the poll and sound off in the comments.