What Grade did ESPN Give the Colts for Matt Ryan Trade?

ESPN has graded the Indianapolis Colts trade for Matt Ryan. What kind of mark did they get from the 'World Wide Leader'?

The Indianapolis Colts traded a third-round draft pick to the Atlanta Falcons for four-time Pro Bowl selection and 2016 NFL MVP Matt Ryan.

The Colts had been reported to be "swinging big" on the quarterback position this offseason and came away with Ryan without having to spend big.

That the Colts were able to net gain draft position and salary cap space by moving Carson Wentz and replacing him with Ryan should be considered a coup by general manager Chris Ballard. 

ESPN agrees.

The 'World Wide Leader' gave the Colts an A+ for their deal with the Falcons.  

It's hard to imagine how this could have shaken out better for the Colts, who got a second-round pick and a third-round pick from Washington two weeks ago for Carson Wentz and now send one of their two third-rounders to Atlanta for Ryan. Think what you want of Ryan, but he's a clear upgrade over Wentz and by far the best available option for Indy at this point in the dizzying game of 2022 offseason quarterback dominoes. This is better than trading a similar pick for Jimmy Garoppolo, better than signing Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston, better than just about anything the Colts could have reasonably done once it was made clear to them that Houston wasn't trading Deshaun Watson to a division rival. (And, given the terms of Cleveland's trade for Watson, this looks like a steal.) - Kevin Seifert, ESPN

Much has been made of the NFL record salary cap hit Ryan was scheduled to have in 2022 for the Atlanta Falcons, but that was a factor of years of cap mismanagement by former general manager Thomas Dimitroff. The terms of Ryan's contract for the Colts aren't as bad as you might think.

It's the Falcons who are still paying the price as they'll incur an NFL record $41 million dead cap hit in 2022 with an eye on rebuilding in 2023. 

For those wondering, ESPN gave the Falcons a 'D' for their efforts. It's going to get worse in Atlanta before it gets better.

The Colts were in position to take advantage of the Falcons' 'Everything Must Go' sale, and they got the highest mark from ESPN for the trade.