Washington Trade for Matt Ryan? Falcons 'Mountain of If's'

Smart money says Washington does not consider Matt Ryan to be at “the Rodgers or Wilson level.”

The Washington Commanders are in search of a superstar quarterback. The Atlanta Falcons employ a fading superstar QB in Matt Ryan.

Could Ryan end up in a Commanders uniform next season? 

The idea is being kicked around in the media, if not by Washington head coach Ron Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew.

Does the idea have merit?

The Athletic’s Ben Standig writes that “Ryan’s massive salary-cap hits make dealing him unlikely, unless …”

Actually, there is a mountain of “unless” here. For this scenario to truly unfold …

-The Falcons would have to decide to tear it down from the studs. They would have to eat a fortune against the cap, find a Ryan replacement (maybe with the No. 8 pick in the upping NFL Draft), and then sacrifice a season - or however long it takes to replicate what the former MVP Ryan does.

-The Commanders, meanwhile, would see the bulk of their $30 mil of room eaten up, would have to believe that a 37-year-old Ryan would make them championship contenders, and would have to create an offer to tempt Atlanta to give up on the season.

-Chase Young to Atlanta? That’s hefty price to pay for a brief Ryan rental. A conditional pick? That means Atlanta must wait until 2023 for its draft payoff.

Standig writes, “Rivera certainly knows Ryan from his NFC South days and would surely explore that route if available.”

We’re not sure Rivera having stood on a sideline opposite Ryan offers Washington any special insight. We’re also not sure that while Rivera might “surely explore” this idea - because he should surely explore every idea - that a fading Ryan is what Washington has in mind with its “all-in” approach to acquiring a QB.

Standig was the first to mention (rather casually) that the Commanders would consider offering even Young as trade bait for the right quarterback. 

In Young’s case, that would mean “the Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson level.”

Smart money says Washington does not consider Matt Ryan to be at “the Rodgers or Wilson level.”