NFL Rumors: Falcons Won't Trade Matt Ryan to Steelers to Replace Ben Roethlisberger

Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire.

It is possible that Matt Ryan won't be going anywhere this year.

The Atlanta Falcons quarterback was ruled out of the running by Chris Mortensen. Falcons head coach Arthur Smith wants Ryan to return for the team's next season in 2022, according to the report.

Even if the Falcons were content to move on from him, the five-year, $150 million extension he signed would make it difficult to do so.

Atlanta would be on the hook for 40.5 million dead money in the next four years if Ryan is traded before June 1, saving only $8.1 million.

The Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams spent a lot of money to make a quarterback change. If the Falcons did the same, they would be in a class of their own.

Dan Graziano is a reporter for the network.
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The Eagles will have a dead money cap charge for Carson Wentz. That will be the largest dead money charge in the history of the game. The Rams will have a record amount of money to carry this year. The 2016 draft was interesting.
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Ryan's salary-cap hit will be $43.6 million in 2023 and $48.7 million in 2022, so a team acquiring him would most likely look to restructure his contract. That could be a problem in any negotiations.

The Falcons should have someone else running the offense next year.

Through 16 games, Ryan has thrown for 3,752 yards, 19 touchdown and 11 interceptions with a 67.4 percent completion rate. That's reasonable production for a player who turned 36 last May.

The Falcons are not going anywhere in the short term. They were 25th in Bleacher Report's NFL power rankings, with a 7-9 record.
Atlanta's summary states that the plan of action is improving the team around Ryan. That's not going to be easy either. The offensive line is in need of some help. And at the edge. And in the secondary. And at a wide receiver.

Ryan's contract won't make it easy to upgrade this winter, as Fontenot has a lot of areas to address. The franchise can't start over without sacrificing a lot of cap flexibility.

Ryan and the Falcons are stuck with each other for at least one more year.