On Bijan Robinson, Jalen Carter, DeAndre Hopkins and Falcons first-round options

Will Smith from Summerville, Ga.

Hi, Scott. We all know that Terry and Arthur value locker room fit and high character. With that being said, Jalen Carter will most likely be available at 8. Does Terry pull the trigger? Please elaborate on your answer, and thanks.

Bair: This is a tough one, Will. I hope you don’t think this non-answer reply is a cop out. It’s just a difficult situation to assess. Jalen Carter has well-documented off-field issues. He clearly struggled at Georgia’s pro day. He’s also a supreme talent at his very best, possibly the best non-quarterback available in that scenario.

You have to weigh all of those things when deciding whether to take a player like Carter. Look, I put him at No. 30 in my last mock draft. Do I think he falls that far? I do not. I also don’t think he’s a top 5 pick right now. So he may well be available when the Falcons pick at No. 8.

What would the team do in that scenario? Tough call. They talk a ton about culture and organizational fit and how important that is. Their backchannel research will offer clues to his character and work ethic and drive to help the team win. While I wouldn’t call defensive tackle a pressing need right now, his talent might supersede that.

While I sometimes do the, “If I were GM” thing, I won’t do that here because I honestly don’t know. Seemingly big red flags vs. major talent. I do know it would be a difficult decision to weigh leading up to draft day. No matter what, Jalen Carter requires tons of homework the Falcons are certainly doing.

Cal Bowley from Tyrone, Ga.

I’d love to see us pursue Deandre Hopkins considering the overall lack of proven players at the WR position, plus I’ve heard that with the Brandin Cooks to the Cowboys trade, the Cardinals asking price has gone down. It’s possible we could acquire him for a few later round picks, like maybe a 3rd and a 5th.

Bair: DeAndre Hopkins is a top-tier player. Of that there is no doubt. He’s paid like one, with giant base salaries in 2023 and 2024. That deal would have to be re-worked and possibly extended. If you do that, you’re pushing his deal into his mid 30s. Hopkins is nearly 31. Do you want to do that? And what do the Cardinals want in return? No way I’m parting with a first- or second-round pick. Hopkins is a monster when available, though he has missed a total of 15 games over the last two seasons for various reasons.

I’m not huge into trading for older vets unless I feel I’m a player away. I don’t think the Falcons are there…