7:18pm: Watson will meet with the Falcons on Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. The 26-year-old quarterback is a Georgia native, heading to Clemson from Gainesville, Ga., and once worked as a Falcons ball boy. Watson and the Browns finished their meeting Tuesday.
We might be moving close to a trade resolution here, though that is obviously only part of this saga. The Texans appear to have approved trade compensation from the Browns, Panthers and Saints, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com tweets. The Watson meetings were contingent upon it. This would point to the Falcons having made a satisfactory offer as well. Watson reached out to the Falcons about a meeting, Russini adds (on Twitter).
10:55am: The Falcons have emerged as a sleeper team to trade for Deshaun Watson, according to league sources who spoke with Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link). With that, they join the Panthers, Saints, and Browns on the known list of clubs in pursuit of the Texans quarterback. 
Watson is set to meet with the Browns today. As of this writing, the Saints and Panthers are the only clubs reported to have made an offer. Still, the Browns have done plenty of research on Watson – both before trading that fateful draft pick to the Texans and after.
Matt Ryan completed 67% of his passes for 3,968 yards and 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last year. Those numbers are more or less in line with his career averages, though the Falcons are now years removed from their last Super Bowl appearance.
The Falcons could see Watson as the solution, though Ryan just agreed to restructure his contract last week. It’s also possible that the Falcons are simply doing their due diligence and/or looking to raise the asking price for their NFC South rivals. The Panthers and Saints are both keenly interested in the embattled QB — even if the Falcons don’t trade for him, they could help to chip away at their draft capital.
Thanks to Ryan’s restructuring, the Falcons opened up an additional $12MM on their 2022 books. On the heels of that move, they hammered out a brand new $50MM+ extension with veteran lineman Jake Matthews.
retch
The whole NFC South, other than Tampa obviously, are going to drive the price up for him lol
This makes sense long-term, and as a Georgia boy, would be a homecoming. but would mean one of Ryan or him is sitting and that’s a lot of money to pay for no play.
All the interest makes sense but also shows that someone these teams who are QB needy aren’t comfortable with this year’s draft crop.
Yep. This could be a 2011 or, even worse, 2013 draft situation, where teams either talk themselves into mediocre or risky prospects, or can’t even talk themselves into guys.
I think if they got Watson, Ryan is gone. No way your quarterback room is making 70 million.
There’s no way for them to get rid of Ryan without taking a huge cap hit this year, right?
If OTC has updated his page with the details of the restructure, then a cut or a trade with a pre-June 1st designation would result in over $55 million in dead cap money this year, raising his cap hit by almost $19 million (his prorated signing bonus currently on the 2023 books).
However, a post-June 1st designation for a cut or a trade would actually save them almost $9 million this year, at the expense of leaving that 2023 prorated signing bonus of almost $19 million on next year’s cap.
I’d choose the latter poison, myself.
Not happening they have no cap space and he isn’t going there.
If I’m colts I’m calling ATL and trading for Ryan if this is true
I think Texans would take Ryan and then flip him to seattle just so colts don’t get him
I don’t want him simply because of the PR issues. But, I’ll take his talent if we get him. Got Ozuna on the Braves, so apparently Atl is all about throwing basic human morals out the window
Smart move by ATL.
Even if they have zero interest in him, float the rumor to make sure your division rivals have to pay a steeper price.
Falcons have the worst WR corps in the NFL.
Colts say hi.
With Ridley out falcons is much worse then colts
Kyle Pitts has entered the chat
Gage out too
Watson recruiting will fuller and Allen robinson to atl
We started hearing about him wanting out of Houston after Nuke was traded so why would Atlanta be in the same thought process as Carolina (Moore/CMAC) and Cleveland (Cooper/Chubb/Hunt)? Even with Kamara/Thomas, I wouldn’t put NO on the same consideration level as those two, but definitely light years ahead of ATL
Makes you kind of wonder what he’s going to think of his new place. Maybe he finds out other organizations are also messed up? An amazing talent, but I’d be so worried about how much I have to give up for him, along with the PR hit the team is going to take. What’s going to happen when he finds out he doesn’t get to pick the coach at his new place?
That last one kinda came outta nowhere and destined to become (imo) the biggest elephant the NFL has ever had in the room; and they’d better address it ASAP
No.
With Ryan’s contract it’s a pipe dream.
Well at least we know where the Falcons draw the line officially now. Killing and abusing dogs not okay. Sexually assaulting women is okay. If he was sexually assaulting dogs… idk I think they say hard pass.
To be fair, the dog killer went to prison and forced their hand. I love Vick, would’ve supported him if they kept him. It’s called being human and making mistakes. Now repeating those mistakes is a different story.
Watson repeated it at least 22 times. And Watsons situation is basically Dennis and the boat episode of Always Sunny. They cant say no because of the implication.
He wasn’t indicted on any charges of sexual assault, sounds to me like he was innocent of the charges.
They chose money over jail time.
He was no billed by a grand jury. Meaning there was not even a reasonable suspicion that he committed even a misdemeanor assault. So much for a person getting the benefit of the doubt even after a grand jury hearing where a DA can indict a ham sandwich…
They are taking the money. Meaning in a trial based on he said she said, the women aren’t providing the evidence bc they are going to get paid by Watson instead. That’s how that ish works and if you can’t see that… idk what to tell you.
We will give the Houston Matt Ryan a first next year and a second this year
I’m definitely pretty sure Houston doesn’t want Ryan. It’s gonna take 3 1st round picks to get Watson and then some
Lmao zero chance Houston accepts that. Ryan doesn’t really have positive to Houston, you’d have to give at least 3 1st and a second
Ryan is entering the phase of his career where he’s a game manager that can pull a rabbit out of his hat every so often. He’s a statue in the pocket with happy feet, but if you give him time he can be effective. Like Rivers was for Indy but better.
Yeah but Houston doesn’t want an aging out of his prime aging game manager. Trading for Ryan would only only hurt there team imo, there much better off with the movement and giving mills a shot
Watson wants to be able to pick his head coach and GM. If you are already in one of those positions you’d be an idiot to bring him on board.
Can you imagine being super excited to have him be your QB, only to hear rumors he working on his new head coach?!?!
Been on top of this for the last year. Huge Texans fan (good times and bad). I’ve never been sold on Watson’s arm strength, but he’s a gamer and an elite all around talent.
Most Texans fans are sad to see him go but relieved to have this over with. Particularly since Watson wants to go.
Everyone should realize that for teams to interview Watson (4 so far), the Texans have to agree with basic compensation. Compensation is reported to be 3 1st round pics and 2 2nd round picks and or a combination of young pro-bowl quality players on their rookie deals.
The Bill OBrien and Jack Easterby says of idiotic deals are gone. Caserio (assistant GM with Patriots) drafted his rear off last year and given at least 6 1st round picks and likey 6 2nd round picks over the next 3 years, the Texans will be talented and on the come. All we really need is Mills to be an above average QB with a massive oline and solid D. I’m high on Mills potential. He can throw to all 9 zones on the field and led QBs in downfield accuracy last year.
Which ATL massage parlor they meeting at?
Hopefully not the one a certain owner visited.