Falcons Cap Hell: Matt Ryan vs. Deion Jones?

Atlanta, of course, hired a new GM and a new head coach and pieces needed to be moved ... or kept ... or both.

NFL watchers throw around the phrase "salary cap hell'' a bit too loosely. Teams can generally do what they need to do to assemble a roster under the cap ... and really, only when the roster assembled isn't very good does "hell'' set in.

Nevertheless, that is the phrase used when reviewing the Atlanta Falcons and their "worst offseason move.''

Atlanta, of course, hired a new GM and a new head coach and pieces needed to be moved ... or kept ... or both.

And that's what the Falcons did with QB Matt Ryan and his contract.

They kept the player. 

But they moved his money.

The Athletic believes the restructuring of Ryan’s contract marks that aforementioned "worst offseason move'' for Atlanta.

What Fontenot did - as a result of some soul-searching, the outlet reports, citing sources that claim the new GM "thought his hands were tied'' into restructuring Ryan.''

READ MORE: Goodbye, Gonzalez!

The other option, The Athletic suggests, was "cutting Deion Jones.''

So, what Atlanta was left to do: Restructuring Ryan's deal, which slices the cap hit for this year from $40 mil to $26.9 million ... but - yikes! - the cap impact bloats near $50 million next year.

READ MORE: Why Do You Hate Matt Ryan?

Can the Falcons continue to "kick the can'' on paying Matt Ryan? Yes, that is in the toolbox of tricks that can be used. And it'll be OK of Ryan's Falcons win. 

If they lose? It'll feel like "hell.''