After 14 seasons and becoming the best quarterback in franchise history, the Atlanta Falcons are moving on from Matt Ryan.
According to sources, the Atlanta Falcons traded Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a third-round pick.
Ryan will be the fifth starting quarterback for Frank Reich in as many seasons. The Washington Commanders were acquired by the Colts for third-round picks in 2022, and 2023.
At the start of the new league year, the Falcons became part of a group of teams that were interested in trading for Deshaun Watson. Despite 22 open civil suits ranging from inappropriate conduct to sexual assault against female massage therapists, higher-ups in Atlanta tried to lure a Georgia native to the Falcons.
As part of the pursuit, the Falcons and Ryan pushed back a $7.5 million roster bonus that was due March 18 to allow Ryan to look for trade partners. The Falcons were in a position where it had very publicly sought out a succession plan for Ryan, because of the waiving of his no-trade clause.
The Falcons will have a dead-money chart of over 40 million dollars on their salary cap this season.
During Super Bowl week, Falcons owner Arthur Blank said that the team had contemplated a succession plan for Ryan but had yet to come up with one. One of the succession options was PursuingWatson. The plan will have to be pushed further by the Falcons.
After the season, Falcons head coach Arthur Smith praised Ryan but stopped short of committing to him being the team's quarterback in 2022, despite how much he respects the veteran leader.
There are not many guys like Matt that can do what he does. The way he prepares. He is the same guy every day. That is a huge compliment to him.
Ryan made it clear in January that he wanted to stay with the club for his 15th season. He believed in what they were building and what they did with their roster.
The Falcons drafted Ryan third overall in the 2008 draft, hoping that he would be the next franchise quarterback after Michael Vick.
Ryan was a good choice. His first pass was a 62 yard touchdown to Michael Jenkins, and he went on to win the offensive rookies of the year award. Ryan was one of the team's leaders since he was a durable player at the most important position in sports.
He missed only three games in 14 years in Atlanta. He threw for at least 4,000 yards every season from 2011 to last season. He has had at least 20 touchdown passes in each of the last four years.
Ryan made the Pro Bowl four times with the Falcons, but no season was more impressive than 2016 where he completed 69.9% of his passes for a career-high 4,944 yards, 38 touchdown and seven interceptions.
He was named the Most Valuable Player of the season and led Atlanta to the Super Bowl. He will be remembered for the Super Bowl with the Falcons. Atlanta held a big lead in the third quarter, but lost in overtime.
The Falcons have not had a winning record since Ryan made the playoffs the following year.
Ryan has been sacked 40 or more times in each of the four seasons. Over the past four seasons, he has rarely had competent defenses around him, and last year he played with a roster that saw the trade of Calvin Ridley and the injury of Russell Gage.
Ryan had a cap hit of over $48 million and four straight losing seasons made him potentially expendable. He will finish his career somewhere other than where it started, like many of his peers.
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