The Pros, Cons of Colts Trading for Matt Ryan

The Colts need a quarterback, and the Falcons' Matt Ryan is still a trade possibility. What are the pros and cons of such a move?

Over the last week, the Indianapolis Colts' news cycle has been dominated by discussion of which quarterback they might trade for: Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons or Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.

Former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson was being courted by four teams, including Atlanta and Cleveland, which was holding up the rest of the NFL quarterback trade market.

Watson is now with the Browns, which has placed Mayfield on the trade block. Despite the Falcons not landing Watson, Ryan may also still be out the door. He has a $7.5 million bonus due on Tuesday, so if he's going to be traded, it will be before then.

On Sunday, we discussed the pros and cons of the Colts possibly trading for Mayfield. Today, we do the same for Ryan.

PROS

Anyone with Experience is a Bonus: The Colts only have two quarterbacks on the roster right now in Sam Ehlinger and James Morgan, and neither has attempted a pass in the NFL. Ryan has been an above-average starting quarterback for over a decade with four Pro Bowls, an All-Pro selection, and NFL Offensive Player of the Year and NFL MVP awards to his name.

Despite His Age, Ryan is "Safe": Ryan will be 37 years old when the 2022 season begins but he's been as steady as they come in his 14 years. With the exception of last year, he's thrown for at least 4,000 yards every season since 2011 and only came up 32 yards shy in 2021 despite not having Julio Jones or Calvin Ridley. His physical attributes and athleticism were never his calling cards, so his ability to read a defense and take what it gives him, and "make the layups" make him a safe quarterback for the Colts. He's also only missed three games in his career.

Frank Reich Gets the Most Out of His Quarterbacks: Reich is known for the work he's done with quarterbacks, as he's gotten the best out of Carson Wentz, Nick Foles, Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett, and Philip Rivers. When clicking, Reich's passing offense uses quick passes to keep things moving in rhythm, and it utilizes pass-catchers' abilities to pick up yards after the catch. Ryan is more than capable of pulling those strings, and while his arm is far from cannon-like, he can get the ball down the field. It doesn't hurt to be able to hand the ball off to the NFL's best back in Jonathan Taylor either.

He Reportedly Wants to Be in Indianapolis: Like Mayfield, the Colts are reportedly a preferred destination for Ryan in the event that he's traded. The Colts have a well-rounded roster with a close-knit locker room featuring a family environment, alongside a transparent coaching staff and front office. Similar to Rivers in 2020, it's a solid spot for an accomplished veteran to end up.

It's a Statement Move: At times during the 2021 season, it was easy to comment on a Colts' loss or close game by saying, "If they only had a consistent quarterback..." Ryan would give the Colts a player at the position that doesn't have such high variance in their week-to-week performance as Wentz did. Simply having a quarterback that can get the job done can be the difference in several wins and losses. If the Colts are going to finally reclaim the AFC South and compete in what is shaping up to be an incredibly tough conference overall, they need solid quarterback play.

He's the Type of Leader the Colts Want: The Colts were reportedly lacking the leadership that they wanted from the quarterback position in 2021. Going forward, they want someone that will leave no doubt as to who leads the offense. Last summer, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot spoke to the team's website about Ryan's leadership ability: “On the outside, you just have the game tape. Being inside the building, you also see the practice tape and the human element. Being around Matt, you see who he is as the leader, the worker, where his mindset is and how he feels he has a chip on his shoulder and that he has something to prove. Knowing not just that he has the physical talent to do it, but that he has the right mindset to be the same leader of men. That passion you see on the sidelines — when you’re in the building with him you see it 24/7. It doesn’t stop. It really doesn’t stop. The film evaluation, whether it’s in a game or in practice, shows where he is. So does the mindset, the passion, the intensity that makes him the man that he is. It checks all the boxes. He’s the right leader of this team.”

Offensive Free Agents Know Who Colts' QB Would Be: The Colts need to add more weapons in the passing game this offseason. However, in free agency, it's tough for wide receivers and tight ends to sign on with a new team if they don't even know who's going to be throwing them the ball. If the Colts land Ryan then free agents know they'll have a solid quarterback with loads of accomplishments throwing to them. After all, Colts fans have been waiting for the team to do something in this area.

Can Still Draft a QB Early Without Being an Issue: At 36, nearly 37 years old, Ryan is almost certainly aware that any team he's on will have an eye to the future. Not everyone is Tom Brady and can play to their mid-40s; Ryan could hang 'em up at the end of any upcoming season. If the Colts elect to pick up a young quarterback in this or next year's draft to develop behind Ryan, it's probably not going to ruin the relationship.

Can Focus Rest of Offseason On Adding Weapons: As aforementioned, the Colts have other needs on offense in the passing game, but they also need to fortify the left tackle and right guard spots. With the massive box labeled "Quarterback" checked off, the Colts can move forward with addressing their other needs. The second and third waves of free agency are where the Colts do the bulk of their shopping anyways, so the timing is right.

We've Seen Where the Team Can Go with a Reliable, Veteran QB: The Colts have made the postseason twice in the last four years: 2018 (divisional round) and 2020 (wild card). In those seasons, they had Luck and Rivers as their quarterbacks, respectively. The Colts have a solid offense line, elite run game, a disruptive defensive front seven, an opportunistic secondary, and special teams units that are almost always on top of their game. With a reliable, consistent quarterback under center, we have seen where this roster can go. The Colts have too good of a nucleus to just peter out due to poor quarterback play. They'd be wasting the primes of so many solid players to keep settling for mediocrity. A quarterback like Ryan is capable of putting the Colts right back where they belong; in the playoffs.

CONS

Compensation Might Be Expensive for His Age: Ryan is likely the most solid option for the Colts out of any of the NFL quarterbacks available through free agency or trade. However, no one on the outside seems to have a firm grasp on what the asking price is (kudos to the Colts and Falcons for that). There has been speculation that trading for Ryan might cost multiple second or third-round picks. Plus, if the Colts are in competition with other teams then the asking price could get driven up. How much is too much for a 37-year-old quarterback? We all know how much Colts general manager Chris Ballard covets draft picks. Plus, after losing out on Watson, the Falcons don't have much incentive to get rid of Ryan other than doing right by the guy who's led their franchise for over a decade. They don't have to settle for cheap.

Contract Will Be More Expensive Than Other Legitimate Options: Trading for Mayfield or signing a free agent like Marcus Mariota or Andy Dalton would come cheaper than trading for Ryan, who has approximately $54 million left in these final two years on his contract. The salary cap space for the Colts should be inconsequential given they currently lead the league with almost $40 million, but we've seen the front office clutch their shekels many times before. It would be a large hit to the Colts' cap space, but they can't go anywhere in this conference without a capable quarterback.

Colts Would Still Have to Search for Long-Term Solution: At 37 years old, Ryan gives the Colts an immediate shot in the arm and a legitimate chance at contending again. However, going with someone of his age means the window of time for offensive success shrinks without a backup plan. Ideally, a team would like to know who their quarterback is for the next 10 years but the Colts would need to continue searching for their quarterback of the future while Ryan is under center.

Should the Colts attempt to trade for Ryan? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!

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Follow Jake on Twitter and Facebook @JakeArthurNFL. Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and Twitter.

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