Falcons 'Assumed' QB Deshaun Watson Was Theirs, 'Quietly Shopped' Matt Ryan
The Atlanta Falcons entered this offseason's free agency period without much money to spend but still managed to work their way into the spotlight.
By now, everybody knows the story.
After months of here-or-there rumors linking them to embattled then-Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, the Falcons jumped in headfirst, rolling out an elaborate plan to put themselves in prime position to land the three-time Pro Bowler.
Except, there was a problem. Even with Watson's bevy of off-field problems, the ball was in his court, meaning the final decision went through him, not the Texans. Seemingly on the verge of choosing Atlanta, the Cleveland Browns offered Watson a massive five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract, and he simply couldn't resist.
That set off another problem for the Falcons: franchise quarterback Matt Ryan wasn't going to stay where he didn't feel he was valued. Shortly after the Watson saga, Atlanta traded Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts for a third-round pick.
Then, the Falcons signed Marcus Mariota and drafted Desmond Ridder in the third round, giving the team a pair of athletic signal callers to drive the boat in place of Ryan.
That's the story. Finished. Sealed.
Expect it isn't.
New details have emerged about what went down inside the walls of Falcons headquarters during the team's pursuit of Watson.
According to The Athletic, "most within the Falcons’ building assumed Watson was theirs," and in the process of recruiting Watson, Atlanta was "quietly shopping" Ryan. Despite radio silence on Ryan's behalf, he handled it like a consummate pro, though he "knew it was time" to move on, regardless of the result of Watson's decision.
Wanting to "do right" by Ryan, the Falcons kept their veteran signal caller in the loop, allowing him to do his own research while the Colts did theirs. Indianapolis wasn't the only team in the mix for Ryan, but it was seemingly the one that made the most sense for him.
Per the report, Ryan made several phone calls to people he trusted in an attempt to learn more about the Colts' organization. His first two calls were to Indianapolis legend and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and eight-time Pro Bowl signal caller Philip Rivers, who made a similar late-career move to the Colts.
Ryan's questions ranged from Colts owner Jim Irsay to the school districts in Indianapolis, and he largely received rave reviews on all accounts.
The day after Watson decided on Cleveland, Ryan held a two-hour virtual meeting with Colts general manager Chris Ballard, head coach Frank Reich, offensive coordinator Marcus Brady and assistant quarterbacks coach Parks Frazier. Ryan entered the meeting looking for the right feel and left with exactly that.
Two days later, Ryan was a Colt.
Later that day, Atlanta signed Mariota, and the new era began.
Now, the NFL calendar will flip to a new season, with Ryan chasing his first Super Bowl ring in his 15th season and Mariota looking to prove he's worthy of a starting spot.
Atlanta's decision to pursue Watson sent shock waves through the groundwork of the organization. What followed was a ripple effect of great proportions, leaving the Falcons with quarterback questions moving forward and the Colts in position to make a run at a title.
What's the next step? All parties involved - sans Watson, who won't debut until Week 13 - will hit the field on Sunday with a chance to prove their new organization right, and perhaps more applicably for Ryan, his old organization wrong.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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