The Falcons currently sit on the cusp of the playoffs as they tallied their seventh win of the season and Arthur Smith’s first win at Mercedes Benz Stadium, which is a three-game improvement from a season ago with two weeks to go. Though it is an improvement, many Falcons fans would argue it doesn’t feel much different than last season. Atlanta has scratched and clawed their way to 7-8, but it is clear this roster needs significant TLC.
The offensive line could use an upgrade at (at least) two of five positions. The pass rush needs a complete makeover — depth and starting talent on the interior and edge. The safety group could use an influx of new faces, which is crazy to say after Terry Fontenot selected Richie Grant in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft. The receiving core is also an area that should be addressed this offseason.
Of course, the development of younger players could change plans. Jalen Mayfield, Matt Hennessy, Drew Dalman, Richie Grant, Darren Hall, Jaylinn Hawkins, Ade Ogundeji, and Ta’Quon Graham could all help solve those issues I listed. Each rookie should be given time to develop, but I must say, many of the younger players have been disappointing. Still, that isn’t to say they can’t develop into reliable starters.
The fact remains the Falcons are far away from threatening in the postseason. With so many difficult decisions regarding the highest-paid players on the team, Atlanta could easily hit the reset button and rebuild, given their current standing with the salary cap. Mike Sando of The Athletic suggests that Atlanta could do just that by trading Matt Ryan to the Steelers.
The Steelers face a QB conundrum for 2022.
Who fits and why?
“Matt Ryan is a name that would intrigue me."@SandoNFL spoke to execs from around the league.https://t.co/4oJFJb4gnv
— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) December 27, 2021
Make a run at Matt Ryan: The Falcons appear committed to Ryan for the time being, but do they really believe they are close to breaking through? Trading Ryan would save the team $24 million in cash while reducing his cap charge from $48 million to $40 million, clearing the contract from the books beyond next season. It’s probably a long shot, but how many people five years ago had Tom Brady playing with Tampa Bay, Philip Rivers finishing his career in Indy, Matthew Stafford playing for the Rams, Jared Goff in Detroit and Carson Wentz on the Colts? Zero people projected those things.
“Matt Ryan is a name that would intrigue me,” an exec from a team that has researched the quarterback market said. “You are rebuilding in Atlanta. If you can get a decent package for Matt Ryan, do you do it? He’s a Pennsylvania guy, albeit from Philly. The Falcons would save cash. That one is interesting. You probably get 3-4 years if you are Pittsburgh. I don’t see Tomlin as a blow-it-up, total-rebuild type.”
Matt Ryan isn’t good enough to cover up the deficiencies of this team like some of the other elite quarterbacks, but he’s certainly capable of leading a well-rounded roster to the postseason. The Steelers aren’t an incredibly potent roster at this point; however, few teams have as proven of a track record drafting and developing talent as Pittsburgh. This would immediately signal a rebuild of sorts for the Falcons, and I can’t say I’m against the idea. Ryan probably deserves to chase a Lombardi Trophy with a legit contender before he retires, and at this point, the Falcons aren’t that.
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