Atlanta Falcons Extend Matt Ryan for Five Years in Mammoth Deal
By Kit Anderson
The Atlanta Falcons have finally reached a contract extension with Matt Ryan. A massive extension, one keeping Ryan locked in as the Falcon’s starter for five more seasons. Was the decision the right one for the Falcons?
Signing Matt Ryan has been the focus of the Atlanta Falcon’s off-season. Ryan is coming off of two solid seasons, winning an MVP in 2016 and quickly climbing stat charts.
Matt Ryan is almost assuredly a future Hall of Famer. He has an MVP in his pocket and will end his career in the top ten in almost every meaningful quarterback stat. Even with that in mind, it doesn’t make his new contract hurt any less for a team who has no backup plan.
Matt Ryan has agreed to a $150-million dollar contract with $100-million guaranteed. The deal makes him the first $30-million dollar quarterback per-year. Forget the hometown discount, Ryan broke the bank and the Falcon’s cap-room.
It is a contract locking up a franchise quarterback for five more seasons. Ryan has been a great quarterback and had the Falcon’s hands tied in this situation.
The contract hurts, that isn’t the question. The question is did the Falcons have any other options? The answer is simple in a League run by quarterbacks. When you find your franchise quarterback you pay what it takes to keep him in place no matter the cost.
As long as Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are on the field together this team has a chance to outgun any team in the League.
Ryan is the most important player on the roster and this contract speaks to that fact. The deal will make Ryan a huge cap hit on the team and have him locked in as their starter for five more seasons.
Despite the pain of losing the cap room, it is great news for Falcon’s fans. Ryan will keep the team relevant along with a young defense, a defense Coach Dan Quinn will keep infused with young talent.
Ryan’s contract will keep him a Falcon through 2023. One mammoth contract later for the Falcons, Ryan is locked up and the Falcons can put their questions about the quarterback position to rest for a long time to come.