The Atlanta Falcons came out recently and announced that they didn’t want to trade Julio Jones or Matt Ryan, but that doesn’t always mean they won’t. Everyone in the NFL is available for the right price, and that is evident more so than ever before this offseason.
Ryan could be one of the hottest names on the market if the Falcons do engage in some trade offers, which is something they should do. The Falcons need to hit the reset button and dealing away Ryan would be a good way to do that.
There is no doubt that Ryan is a very good quarterback, but his play in Atlanta makes him very predictable. A fresh start with a new team could rekindle the fire Ryan has and he could become an intimidating signal caller yet again. In 2020, Ryan completed 65 percent of his passes for 4,581 passing yards and logged a touchdown to interception ratio of 26 to 11.
The Falcons need to garner a fresh start and trading away their franchise quarterback would give them some draft compensation to build their team around.
Here’s a look at four teams who should attempt to trade for Matt Ryan.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints reportedly view Jameis Winston as a player they want to retain this offseason, but who knows if they will actually be able to. Drew Brees will likely be hanging up the cleats in the coming weeks, which leaves the fumble prone Taysom Hill as the only quarterback remaining on the roster.
The Saints have had Brees at the helm since 2006 and they have been spoiled with consistency at the position. New Orleans would be ignorant not to land a quarterback this offseason in the most talented quarterback market the NFL has ever seen. Matt Ryan should be a guy on the Saints’ radar.
New Orleans has seen Ryan torch their’ secondary for years and they would already have a firm grasp as to what he would bring to the team. Ryan would also welcome a trade to the Big Easy due to the championship caliber roster the team has.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots seem like a perfect fit for Matt Ryan and Matt Ryan would be a perfect fit for them as well. The Patriots would likely prefer a veteran quarterback to replace Cam Newton under center and Ryan would be a perfect fit.
Ryan is a former NFL MVP and is as stable as they come at the quarterback position. He rarely misses games and is one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the entire league. Ryan has had a completion percentage in the mid 60’s since 2010 and he brings that to the table every single season.
Having a head coach like Bill Belichick would certainly benefit Ryan and the winningest franchise in NFL history would be able to get back on track with some stability at the quarterback position.
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers have literally tried to pursue every quarterback, so they might as well be in the market for Matt Ryan too. The 49ers do not see Jimmy Garoppolo as the future of their franchise and they will be looking to pursue some options this offseason.
San Francisco likely would rather land Dak Prescott or Deshaun Watson, but Ryan wouldn’t be a bad option to consider. Snagging Ryan would allow the 49ers to select a quarterback to groom behind him. Ryan is as stable as they come at the quarterback position and he could find himself on the West Coast very soon.
Ryan would fit well with Kyle Shanahan, as we have seen in the past, and having some weapons to build around him would be nice as well. The 49ers wouldn’t have to break the bank to land Ryan either, which is why this could be a more attractive option than Deshaun Watson.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders could be looking for a change at quarterback and the Falcons could look to add Derek Carr in exchange for Matt Ryan. Carr is a good quarterback who would bring the Falcons some athletic ability and youth to the quarterback position.
Jon Gruden prefers a signal caller who would rather hang in the pocket and sling the football down the field, and Ryan would be able to do just that. Carr and Gruden have had clashes in the past and a departure between the two could be on the horizon.
Ryan would give the Raiders the best chance to win and the franchise could use an MVP signal caller to compete in the ultra competitive AFC West. If a deal between these sides gets done, both teams are looking good for the future.
