Colts QB Matt Ryan is undecided on his future

During a conversation with ESPN’s Stephen Holder, the 37-year-old acknowledged that he’s undecided on his future, although he did hint that he could still have something left in the tank.

“I still love playing,” Ryan said. “I’m obviously not committed to anything. Got to see how it shakes out. But I still love playing and still feel like, honestly, there’s a lot of good football [left]. So, we’ll see.”

As Holder notes, Ryan’s decision isn’t entirely up to him. The Colts still have the veteran under contract for next season, with $12M of Ryan’s $29M compensation already guaranteed. 

The quarterback could walk away whenever he wants, but it’s in his best interest to see how the Colts proceed. It would be in the Colts’ best financial interest to cut Ryan, which would save them a significant chunk of money. In that scenario, Ryan could still collect his guaranteed money before calling it a career.

“I’m under contract, and until that changes, you kind of go to work,” he said. “There’s a lot that’s going to happen here in the next six, eight weeks, whatever it is. Let’s see.”

On the flip side, the Colts may value Ryan’s veteran presence on the roster, especially if they opt for a top prospect in the draft. 

After the season, general manager Chris Ballard seemed to reinforce the quarterback’s value to the roster while noting that Ryan wasn’t to blame for the team’s 4-12-1 record.

“[This season] is not an indictment on Matt Ryan,” Ballard said. “Matt Ryan is as professional a player that I’ve ever been around. I still think he’s got something left in his body to play. He’s smart, knows how to play the game.”