Falcons Coach Arthur Smith Rips ESPN Matt Ryan Report: 'Absolute Nonsense'
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith doesn't appreciate personnel decisions being made - or at least prematurely revealed - on social media. Smith therefore bristled at a Chris Mortensen report on Twitter that he, as coach, had lobbied general manager Terry Fontenot and owner Arthur Blank for Matt Ryan to be the Falcons' quarterback in 2022.
Mortensen went so far as to say that Ryan is viewed as basically untouchable.
"Anyone trying to move Matt Ryan to Pittsburgh as Ben Roethlisberger’s successor can put that speculation to rest," wrote Mortensen on Twitter. "Falcons coach Arthur Smith wanted Ryan to return when he took the job & he has made it clear to owner Arthur Blank and GM Terry Fontenot that Ryan is his QB for 2022."
Smith was asked about Mortensen's report on social media following the Falcons loss to the Saints.
"You can find whatever you want on the internet," said Smith. "I'm not discrediting anyone, but I can tell you this: 100-percent fact there was a lot of nonsense that came out in the spring. There is not a football decision that's made with the Atlanta Falcons without Terry Fontenot and myself collaborating."
"That's just absolute nonsense. Absolute 100-percent nonsense. It'll never happen."
"We're not professional politicians. We don't operate that way. I know a lot of the league likes to leak rumors. That's not how Terry and I operate. I know there are a lot of respected people. They got a job to do, but that's just not what happens. Again, life is a lot better when you're not on social media."
Smith wasn't ready to close the door on the possibility of any moves made in the offseason... including Matt Ryan.
"Matt knows how we feel about him, but you're not going to get a hot take from me today to ever back ourselves into a corner," said Smith.
"Everything is evaluated every year, and that's the way it goes in the NFL. To make a grand statement right after a game, we're all on the same page."
"Do I have to declare that Kyle Pitts will be our tight end for us next year? You want me to declare that? Where you want me to go? I can go down the whole roster."
"We don't want to back ourselves into a corner. We'll take a fair evaluation of everybody, top to bottom ever single year."
Ryan will have plenty of value to a team trying to make a Super Bowl run but may think they're only a quarterback away.
The hard part of moving Ryan is his contact.
Ryan carries a $40 million dead cap hit next season. Meaning, if Ryan is moved prior to June 1st, he would count $40 million, or roughly 20%, against the Falcons salary cap.
If he's moved after June 1, 2022, the Falcons could spread that cap number across two seasons. Sometimes it's better to just rip off the band-aid. Julio Jones was traded to the Tennessee Titans prior to the season and he'll still count $15.5 million against the Falcons' cap NEXT season.
So if Ryan gets moved, the Falcons are looking at anywhere from $35.5 million to $55.5 million in dead cap money to Jones and Ryan.
Moving on from Matt Ryan isn't so easy, but head coach Arthur Smith wasn't ready to have that door closed for him by ESPN on Twitter.
