Falcons Push Back Matt Ryan's Contract Guarantee to Next Week
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was set to receive a $7.5 million payday Friday as long as he remained a member of the roster.
However, the Falcons have other plans.
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According to ESPN, Ryan's roster guarantee has been pushed back to Tuesday as the Falcons await word on whether Deshaun Watson will waive his no-trade clause.
The Falcons, like the Saints (seen by some as the front-runners), Panthers and Browns before them, have submitted to Houston a trade proposal for the three-time Pro Bowl selection. It be be assumed that the Texans have essentially said "yes'' to the deals on their end.
Watson, 26 and a Georgia native, was hosted, Wilson reports, at the Falcons' Flowery Branch headquarters (15 minutes from his hometown of Gainesville) and "made an impressive presentation about their vision for him as their potential franchise quarterback.''
Wilson reports that Watson's decision is likely going to come down to the Falcons and Saints.
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If Watson wants to become a Falcon, it puts Ryan in a tricky spot with a cap hit just north of $40 million. Once that bonus kicks in, his cap hit jumps to an NFL-record $48.662 million. And the Falcons will trade him while taking that money on, likely to the Indianapolis Colts, who are still looking for a quarterback after trading Carson Wentz, or Cleveland Browns, who just denied Baker Mayfield's trade request.
The guarantee date postponement shows that the Falcons believe they are very much in the Watson race and will risk upsetting their franchise quarterback of 14 years to get him.
