Contrary to claims defensive end Takk McKinley made Wednesday, the Falcons never received any trade inquiries involving a second-round draft selection last season, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation.
Earlier in the day, McKinley tweeted that the Falcons turned down a trade proposal in 2019 that involved a second-round draft pick. McKinley also stated that the Falcons turned down multiple offers that included fifth and sixth-round picks.
However, last season, the Falcons never received such an offer for McKinley, who was the team’s first-round selection in the 2017 NFL draft, according to those familiar with the situation. Although the Falcons listened to trade proposals regarding McKinley in recent weeks, the compensation never was deemed acceptable enough to the team’s liking to pull the trigger.
McKinley has been nursing an injured groin, suffered in Week 2 against the Cowboys, for the bulk of the 2020 season. He began the final year of his rookie contract after the Falcons declined his fifth-year option over the offseason. He is set to become a free agent after this season ends.
This season, McKinley has appeared in four games and has totaled five tackles, one sack and seven quarterback hits. His sack came on the Falcons' first defensive play from scrimmage against the Seahawks in the season opener. In his fourth season, McKinley has totaled 17.5 sacks.
Speaking with reporters Wednesday, Falcons interim coach Raheem Morris said McKinley entered the preseason in great shape after spending the offseason rehabbing a shoulder he injured late last season. Morris said McKinley has had some recent off-field issues because of his groin injury keeping him from the playing field.
“When he’s playing football and he’s playing at a high level, he’s a great person to be around," Morris said. "When he’s in this mode where he doesn’t want to talk and he shies away from personal interactions and contact, that’s a problem.”
Morris also was asked if suspending McKinley because of his behavior on Twitter was an option.
“There’s always an option to suspend and there’s always an option just not to play,” Morris said. “There’s always an option to do anything we do. I know a lot of his money is guaranteed, but we’ll obviously talk to (team president) Rich (McKay) about that and go through that process. And obviously we’ll talk to Takk and get that thing done. We’re not going to sit here and talk about it through the papers or through media. That’s a grown-man conversation with another grown man."
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