Falcons Trade Try of Matt Ryan: Any NFL Takers?

Ryan brings to 2022 a $48 million cap hit and a recognition that the former league MVP’s end is on the horizon.

The Matt Ryan question needs to be phrased with precision. It’s not “would” the Atlanta Falcons trade the aging franchise QB.

It’s “could” they.

And that’s where an ESPN exercise in its offseason simulation feature can be instructive.

Ryan brings to 2022 a $48 million cap hit and a recognition that the former league MVP’s end is on the horizon. An extension would offer cap relief but add to future cap challenges 

So how about a trade?

The NFL is now a place where disgruntled standout QBs - Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson - try to flex their muscles in search of trade destinations. Happily, Ryan isn’t disgruntled.

He’s just expensive.

So to the ESPN project, with beat writer Michael Rothstein “playing GM,” and finding himself retaining Ryan. He writes;

“We listened out of curiosity, but there weren’t any offers for the Falcons to look at for Ryan, who has massive $48.6M and $43.6M cap hits over the next two seasons … Ryan continues to offer stability at the position.”

Stability, yes.

But that two years of stability comes at a cap price of $90 million.

Nobody wants any part of that.

The Falcons have tried to argue that Chris Mortensen’s “Absolute Nonsense” report that states that coach Arthur Smith is errant, or at least premature. But Mort will end up being right here.

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Because Ryan isn’t going anywhere, and the Falcons - who could compete in the NFC South in 2023 thanks to Ryan while he also helps groom his successor from this NFL Draft - might as well eventually put a positive face on that fact.

And it’s not because they “won’t” trade Matt Ryan.

What the ESPN exercise demonstrates is, it’s because they pretty much “can’t.”