Colts Could get Matt Ryan Decision Today
The Indianapolis Colts and their reported interest in Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan could come to a conclusion Monday afternoon.
Ryan is due a $7.5 million roster bonus by 4 pm EST on Monday. The Falcons, desperate for room under the salary cap, would likely make a trade by the deadline if they're going to move him at all.
"The Falcons fielded trade calls the last few days centered around QB Matt Ryan, sources say," wrote Ian Rapoport on Twitter. "Today is a deadline to make a decision, as Ryan will earn a $7.5M roster bonus from ATL if he’s on the roster at 4 pm. It’ll be either a trade or back to ATL, possibly with a sweetener."
The sweetener Rapoport refers to would be a mea culpa of sorts from the Falcons front office who failed in their pursuit of quarterback Deshaun Watson. Watson spurned his hometown team to sign the largest guaranteed contract in NFL history with the Cleveland Browns.
The Falcons moving Ryan wasn't solely Watson related according to Tom Pelissero. Pelissero reported on Twitter that the trade discussions with Ryan began before Watson initially reached out to Atlanta about a possible move last week.
"This started before the Falcons lost the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes and continued through the weekend," wrote Pelissero on Twitter. "Matt Ryan has two years and about $54 million left on his contract."
Much has been of Ryan's NFL record-cap hit of roughly $47 million for 2022, but nearly half of that money is tied up in restructures and signing bonuses the Falcons continually used to create cap room.
The Falcons will be on the hook for about $50 million in dead cap money if they move Matt Ryan today, a signal that they are entering full-rebuild mode.
The real number of two years and $54 million to a team that would trade for Ryan is much more palatable.
The Colts look to be in a good position to try and get Matt Ryan or Baker Mayfield from the Browns. They should know the immediate future on at least one of them be end of business on Monday.
