The Falcons are apparently receiving at least some trade interest in quarterback Matt Ryan. However, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports hears that clubs that have inquired on the four-time Pro Bowler are getting the “distinct impression” that he will not be dealt.
Thus far, the Seahawks have turned away all teams interested in trading for signal-caller Russell Wilson, and while Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is said to be torn on whether he wants to remain in Green Bay, there is a good chance that both players stay put in 2022. Couple that with a collegiate quarterback class that has some promise but no surefire stars, and Atlanta would theoretically be in a good position to net some draft-pick compensation in a Ryan trade, compensation that could help usher in a new era for the franchise.
That is especially true given Ryan’s relatively modest base salaries of $16.25M and $20.5M over the final two years of his contract. Even when considering his age (he will be 37 in May) and the $7.5M roster bonus he is due later this month and in March 2023, a team that believes it is a quarterback away from title contention might be willing to pull the trigger. The Commanders, who are leaving no stone unturned in their search for a quality QB and who recently made a strong push for Wilson, could be one such club, and the Steelers could be another.
From Atlanta’s perspective, though, the prospect of a trade is a bit messier. As a result of multiple restructures, the most recent of which GM Terry Fontenot felt compelled to make, Ryan’s dead-money charge for 2022 if he were to be cut or traded prior to June 1 is a whopping $40.5M. Even a post-June 1 transaction would result in a dead-money number just shy of $25M, and that’s not to mention the fact that HC Arthur Smith wants Ryan back. Indeed, the NFC South could be wide-open in 2022, and Smith may feel that, with Ryan under center, he might be able to nab a division title.
On the other hand, even if Atlanta were to earn a playoff berth, it does not presently profile as a legitimate championship contender. Although a $40.5M dead-money charge would be tough to swallow, a Ryan trade or release prior to the $7.5M roster bonus coming due on March 19 would also give the Falcons an additional $8M of cap space to work with, and it would allow them to start afresh in 2023.
The team is already eyeing a Ryan succession plan, and if rival clubs are interested in making a deal, it may be in Fontenot’s best interest to think long and hard about accelerating that plan.
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