Matt Ryan will have to wait a few extra days to get paid, and he’s also buying the Falcons some extra time in the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter), the Falcons have pushed back Ryan’s $7.5 million roster bonus from Friday to Tuesday.
[RELATED: Falcons To Restructure Matt Ryan’s Deal?]
This will provide the Falcons with a bit more flexibility as they pursue a trade for Watson. Ryan’s impending bonus would complicate a corresponding trade, but the extra few days means Ryan’s hypothetical suitor wouldn’t have to get as creative with the cap.
The Falcons haven’t processed the restructured contract that Ryan agreed to last week, providing the organization with even more flexibility in trade talks. The veteran QB reportedly reduced his sizable cap hold, opening $12MM in cap space for the Falcons.
Atlanta is one of three teams still in the running for Watson (along with the Saints and Panthers). The organization informed Ryan last weekend of their plans at quarterback, but it remains to be seen if the 14-year vet will stick around if the Falcons don’t acquire Watson. Ryan went 7-10 as a starter this past season, tossing 20 touchdowns vs. 12 interceptions.
ATL teams doing their franchise faces dirty this week
Eh… people called Freddie the face, but it’s been Acuna’s actual face on everything in town for the past two years.
And if this deal goes through it will be Watsons face everywhere the next few years, including places it doesn’t belong.
well played there hammer
Disagree. Acuña may have been the public face of the team, but Freeman was that team’s heart. not saying he cant be replaced, but it’s not quite the same.
Falcons don’t have a chance. The roster is so far from being good only to trade all their picks for a win now qb. Lol saints are the favorite because all they need a is a qb. Once they trade for watson they can go sign obj and bring him home opposite Michael Thomas
The Saints might be the hardest team to get a deal done with because of their cap situation. They are over the cap now and would need to free up $40M+ to squeeze Watson in. They’ll most likely have to release Michael Thomas in order to add Watson. There’s no way for them to keep both and bring in OBJ too.
Clearly you didn’t read earlier articles the cleared cap they have 30 million in space
link to profootballrumors.com
Saints actually freed up a ton of space today, so it is not an issue at the moment. Which is shocking considering how bad their situation was.
Saints did their pre work – link to overthecap.com
Falcons only have ~$5M of space and would need to send Ryan as part of the deal.
Falcons have 8 total picks including # 8 overall and a pair of 2nds this year.
Saints have 7 total picks including #18 overall and a pair of 3rds this year.
I’m not sure winning is the biggest issue for Watson. I think he wants to play where he is comfortable. Nothing wrong with that. A lot of players do that
A bit pathetic
I’m done with the Falcons if they trade Matt Ryan away. I’ve been a fan my whole life, but what they are doing right now is spitting in the face of the most winningest QB they’ve ever had to get a new QB who isn’t going to change anything because they don’t have the weapons to surround him. Matt Ryan’s numbers this year weren’t because he is slipping, it was because he had next to nothing for talent surrounding him. If they deal him away I hope he takes his next team to the SB and shut up all the Matt Ryan haters in ATL.
While his best days are long behind him, I get your anger, especially to clear room for this scumbag.
Good point since they would have to deal a ton of picks plus now not sure what their WR situation looks like
But he could be the qb for many years. Ryan’s future is very limited and they don’t like the QBs in this draft class.
Watson has more sexual assault cases pending than the Falcons had sacks last year. Arthur blank is great at building structures with his Home Depot background,but building an NFL team, not so much. Thanks to his loyalty to Dimitrof and ridiculously bad decisions he has single handedly destroyed an entire football team. You can pay 15,000 for a seat but he will reward you with a 2 dollar hotdog and a complete loser of a team.Rich McKay was a horrible general manager, but Blank promoted him with his loyalty card. The falcons won’t have a chance to get a real team going until Rich and Blank are gone, they are the Fish that are rotten at the head of this organization. Watson will sell a few tickets but because of the way Blank managed this organization it will be no time until he is flipping birds at the fans just like Michael Vick did as soon as another assault charge takes Watson out of the game.
Wonder if Ryan just hangs it up if the Falcons land Deshaun