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We're about to head into a game against Washington that could give the Falcons a 5-0 record, and the story lines this morning are all about a pair of receivers. This is what happens when your team is in the spotlight.
Julio Jones' hamstring injury bears monitoring, but these reports about Roddy White being traded probably do not. This morning, it was Ian Rapoport at NFL Network leading the charge.
On #Falcons WR Roddy White: 3 teams are mulling potential trades, given his recent comments. Due $5M, might be tough. They are researching.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 11, 2015
Roddy White is often the 3rd or 4th progression in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. He just wants to contribute like he always has. Teams took note.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 11, 2015
Asked about the prospects of a Roddy White trade, #Falcons sources reiterated that he’s an important part of the team. "He’s a Falcon."
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 11, 2015
It's not impossible that the Falcons would consider trading Roddy, but it's so unlikely that I can't believe how much attention the possibility is getting. Three teams can be interested in trading for Roddy all they want, but unless they're willing to put together the kind of offer that would make the Falcons willing to trade away a receiver still getting major snaps in the offense—not to mention a franchise icon—White's going nowhere. The Falcons have consistently maintained that, and with Julio's hamstring becoming some kind of concern, the chances are good that Roddy will become a bigger part of the passing game going forward. I do truly believe the Falcons are uninterested in moving Roddy at this point.
Don't expect this story to go away entirely, but I do think it'll die down in the next couple of weeks if the Falcons stick to their stance. Expect them to.