Matt Ryan To Miss Falcons’ Week 8 Game
The ankle injury Matt Ryan suffered last week will keep him out against the Seahawks, the Falcons announced. Veteran Matt Schaub will start in Ryan’s place, with the recently promoted Danny Etling working as the Falcons’ No. 2 quarterback.
This will mark Ryan’s first absence in 10 years. The Falcons quarterback worked through a limited practice Friday, but the 1-6 team will keep him out of its Week 8 matchup. Schaub has not started a game since the 2015 season, when he saw action as a Raven following Joe Flacco‘s season-ending injury.
Ryan’s injury is the latest chapter in a nightmare Falcons season. Despite the team possessing a veteran-laden roster and moving to reach top-market extensions with Julio Jones, Deion Jones and Grady Jarrett, the Falcons are off to their worst start in 12 years. Atlanta dealt one of Ryan’s wideouts, Mohamed Sanu, this week. Another loss could prompt more deals for the struggling team in advance of Tuesday’s deadline.
Ryan’s 15 touchdown passes are tied for the league lead. He’s added 2,170 passing yards — 7.6 per attempt. Schaub, the longtime Texans starter, has served as Ryan’s backup since 2016. The 38-year-old passer has attempted just 16 passes as a Falcon, with Ryan being one of the league’s most reliable starters. Schaub has two Pro Bowls to his credit, but the most recent honor came in 2012.
Falcons To Promote Danny Etling
The Falcons will promote practice squad quarterback Danny Etling, according to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM (on Twitter). The move is significant, because it may be an indicator that Matt Ryan won’t play on Sunday vs. the Seahawks. 
Ryan suffered an ankle injury against the Rams on Sunday and is presently listed as questionable. The Falcons haven’t said much about his status, but the promotion of Etling says a lot.
If Ryan is out, Matt Schaub will start in his stead. Meanwhile, Etling will serve as his top clipboard holder. Etling, a 2018 seventh-round pick by the Patriots, appears to be back at the QB position. Earlier this year, the Pats were experimenting with him as a wide receiver/QB hybrid.
This has been a trying year for Ryan and the Falcons. Through seven games, they’re 1-6, and appear to be in selling mode as the trade deadline approaches. Mohamed Sanu has already been jettisoned to Etling’s former club and edge rusher Vic Beasley could be the next notable to go. Teams are also interested in tight end Austin Hooper, but the Falcons seem set on keeping him for the long haul.
Matt Ryan Deemed Game-Time Decision For Sunday
Matt Ryan left last week’s game against the Rams with a right ankle injury and his status for this week’s matchup is far from certain. However, the good news for Atlanta is that Ryan is practicing today after missing the last two days, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the ACJ relays.
Per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Ryan will be a game-time decision this week. If Ryan can’t go on Sunday vs. the Seahawks, Matt Schaub is in line to make the start for the Falcons.
Ryan will only be active is he is starting, meaning that Atlanta won’t have him on as an emergency QB. The club will also be without G James Carpenter and RB Ito Smith on offense.
Trade Notes: Falcons, Bengals, Browns, Broncos, Jets, Redskins, Giants, Eagles, Bills, Packers
Teams continue to ask about Austin Hooper, whose 526 receiving yards sit 11th in the NFL entering Week 8. However, the Falcons have spurned suitors who’ve called about the emerging tight end, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. Hooper is in a contract year, but the Falcons believe they have a chance to re-sign him. The Falcons, though, are the team doing the contacting regarding Vic Beasley. Atlanta is shopping its former All-Pro defensive end, who is playing out a $12.8MM fifth-year option. Pass rushers are obviously valuable, but with Beasley’s play having fallen off since that 2016 breakthrough, the return might not be what the Falcons seek.
Here is the latest from the trade market:
- The Redskins continue to respond with hard nos when asked about Trent Williams, but Breer adds Josh Norman‘s name has been floated around. With Norman having not lived up to the $15MM-AAV contract he signed in 2016, it would be hard to imagine the Redskins getting much value for the eighth-year cornerback.
- A cornerback performing better continues to look likelier to stay put. Chris Harris does not expect to be traded, and Troy Renck of Denver7 notes the Broncos are not as motivated to deal their four-time Pro Bowler as they were to ship out Emmanuel Sanders. A second-round pick would likely be necessary here, per Breer. Considering the Broncos’ issues finding corners as of late, dealing Harris would create a massive offseason need in Denver.
- The Bengals are 0-7, and A.J. Green continues to come up in trade rumors. But the old-school organization isn’t budging. Mike Brown has not signed off on a firesale, Breer adds, instead preferring to provide first-year HC Zac Taylor with a foundation. That project is not going well so far, with the veteran-laden team performing poorly. Cincinnati’s potential trade chips also include franchise sack leaders Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap. Neither appears to be a departure candidate. Tyler Eifert is a name Breer mentions could be dealt, but the tight end obviously has a significant injury history that would limit a return.
- As for the expensive New York corners, Janoris Jenkins has generated more interest than Trumaine Johnson. The Giants have shopped Jenkins around some, per Breer, while Ralph Vacchiano of SNY notes it would require “a miracle” for a team to take Johnson’s salary off the Jets‘ payroll. Jenkins is signed through 2020, with $5.37MM remaining in 2019 salary.
- In addition to the Saints exploring receiver additions, the Bills, Eagles and Packers are as well, Breer notes. This could heat up the Robby Anderson market, but Breer adds Browns wideout Rashard Higgins has been discussed in advance of Tuesday’s deadline. The backup is in a contract year. However, Higgins has battled knee issues and has only played in one 2019 game.
- With Mark Andrews having outproduced Hayden Hurst, the Ravens have received calls on their 2018 top pick. As of now, however, Hurst is not believed to be available, per Breer.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/23/2019
Today’s practice squad updates:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Devin Gray
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Kelvin McKnight
- Released: OL Tyler Jones
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DT Brian Price
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Jalen Guyton
- Released: OT Tyree St. Louis
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Aaron Monteiro
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: S Trae Elston, TE Jason Vander Laan
NFL Workout Updates: 10/22/19
Here is Tuesday’s summary from the workout circuit:
Atlanta Falcons
- DE Quinton Bell, DE/OLB Nate Orchard, DE/OLB Shane Ray (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of Sirius XM Radio)
Chicago Bears
- DL Jay Bromley, DL Stacy McGee (Twitter link via Caplan)
Houston Texans
- LS Andrew DePaola, LS Wes Farnsworth, CB E.J. Gaines, DE Dewayne Hendrix, RB Darius Jackson, DE Austin Larkin, WR J.J. Nelson, LS Matt Overton, WR Eli Rogers, RB Austin Walter (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- LB Keishawn Bierria, LB Ukeme Eligwe, LB Nicholas Grigsby, LB Donald Payne, LB Christian Sam (Twitter link via Wilson)
Los Angeles Chargers
- WR Jalen Guyton (per Wilson, on Twitter)
New England Patriots
- WR Malik Henry, OL Aaron Monteiro (via Wilson, on Twitter)
New York Giants
- DE Wes Horton (per Caplan, on Twitter)
Philadelphia Eagles
- DL Willie Henry (Twitter link via Caplan)
Seattle Seahawks
- LB Tashawn Bower (visit), WR Penny Hart, WR J’Mon Moore, WR Bobo Wilson (Twitter links via Caplan and Wilson)
Falcons Believe They’ll Keep Austin Hooper
The Falcons’ fire sale is underway, but it sounds like Austin Hooper will be staying put. Even though the tight end is bound for unrestricted free agency as the Falcons look to manage salary cap issues, club officials still believe they can re-sign him this offseason, Jeff Schultz of The Athletic tweets. 
With that in mind, there’s little motivation for the Falcons to trade Hooper, who has been one of the few major bright spots for the Falcons during an otherwise dismal year. To date, Hooper has reeled in 46 catches for 526 yards and four touchdowns, putting him on pace to blow past last year’s 71/660/4 stat line. And, just a couple of weeks ago, he reminded everyone in Atlanta of just how dangerous he can be with eight catches, 117 yards, and a touchdown against the Rams.
Hooper, 25 in November, is earning just $2.025MM in base pay in the final year of his rookie contract. The 6’4″ target is in line for a major pay day in March, but the Falcons seem willing to be the ones writing the check.
There could be even more targets and opportunities for Hooper in the second half of the year. Mohamed Sanu, who drew 42 looks in seven games, was shipped to the Patriots on Tuesday morning in exchange for a second-round pick.
Falcons Trade Mohamed Sanu To Patriots
The Falcons have traded Mohamed Sanu to the Patriots in exchange for a second-round pick, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The deal gives the 7-0 Patriots even more offensive firepower and brings them a wide receiver that they’ve long coveted.
The Patriots were one of several teams looking to trade for Sanu during the draft. The Falcons brushed those clubs off, but things changed after their 37-10 loss to the Rams dropped them to 1-6 on the year. With days to go before the trade deadline, the Falcons jumped at the chance to build for 2020 and beyond.
Sanu missed out on a New Jersey homecoming when the Patriots steamrolled the Jets on Monday night, but he will get to reunite friends in New England, including former Rutgers teammates Jason McCourty and Devin McCourty. He also figures to pad the stat sheet. So far this year, Sanu has 33 catches for 313 yards and one touchdown. It stands to reason that with nine games to go on New England’s slate, he could top last year’s career high of 838 yards and find pay dirt many times over.
Speaking of pay – Sanu has two years to go on his current deal. The Pats will have him at a $7.65MM cap figure this year and a $7.9MM number in 2020, though they could theoretically release him without fiscal penalty next year.
With Sanu, the Patriots boast one of the scariest receiver groups in the NFL and enough weapons to (almost) make Tom Brady forget that Rob Gronkowski isn’t around anymore. The WR depth chart, at present:
- Julian Edelman
- Mohamed Sanu
- Josh Gordon
- Phillip Dorsett
- N’Keal Harry (may return in Week 9)
- Jakobi Meyers
- Gunner Olszewski
Meanwhile, the Falcons figure to continue their fire sale between now and next Tuesday’s deadline. They’d like to move defensive end Vic Beasley and they figure to field offers for the likes of edge rusher De’Vondre Campbell and tight end Austin Hooper.
Latest On Falcons’ Trade Chips
If the Falcons had their way, they’d trade defensive end Vic Beasley. However, it sounds like wideout Mohamed Sanu might be tougher to pry away. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that rival teams could pursue either of these players from the 1-6 Falcons, but one would naturally be easier to acquire than the other.
According to Rapoport, teams tried to acquire Sanu during the draft, but the Falcons resisted those overtures. With the team struggling and Sanu playing in the second-to-last season of his contract, some have wondered if the receiver could be available. The 30-year-old would naturally be attractive to teams that need a wideout. After setting a career high with 838 receiving yards last season, Sanu has hauled in 33 receptions for 313 yards and one score in seven games this season.
Beasley’s availability makes a lot more sense, as the 27-year-old is still set to make more than $6.5MM through the rest of this season. Plus, his onfield production hasn’t justified the money; after Pro Football Focus graded Beasley as its worst full-time edge defender in 2018, the former first-rounder is struggling again in 2019. In seven games, Beasley has compiled 14 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
We heard earlier this month that impending free agents like Beasley, De’Vondre Campbell and Austin Hooper are on some teams’ radars. Projected to be more than $10MM over the 2020 cap, the Falcons will almost certainly have to let some of these UFAs-to-be walk if they are not traded. However, the Falcons could fetch 2021 compensatory picks for them, potentially complicating trade talks.
The trade deadline is next Tuesday, October 29th.
2019 NFL Cap Space, By Team
With eight days to go before the 2019 trade deadline, here’s a look at the cap space possessed by each team, via ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter):
1. Colts: $43.5M
2. Browns: $32.9M
3. Dolphins: $28M
4. Bills: $24.7M
5. Cowboys: $24M
6. Titans: $23.7
7. Chiefs: $23.1M
8. Raiders: $22.4M
9. Eagles: $22.2M
10. Texans: $21.6M
11. Lions: $18.9M
12. Bears: $17M
13. 49ers: $14.4M
14. Panthers: $14.2M
15. Bengals: $13.6M
16. Redskins: $13.5M
17. Jaguars: $10.3M
18. Broncos: $10M
19. Packers: $9.5M
20. Seahawks: $7.8M
21. Buccaneers: $6.5M
22. Jets: $6.1M
23. Rams: $4.6M
24. Cardinals: $4.1M
25. Chargers: $4.1M
26. Steelers: $3.4M
27. Patriots: $2.5M
28. Giants: $2.2M
29. Ravens: $2.1M
30. Saints: $1.9M
31. Falcons: $1.7M
32. Vikings: $623K