Falcons Biggest Loser in Deshaun Watson Trade to Browns
With the stunning news that Deshaun Watson traded to the Cleveland Browns, the Atlanta Falcons are forced to clean the mess he helped create.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The Falcons pulled out all the stops to bring the Gainesville, Ga. native home to "The Peach State," but failed to pull off the deal as Watson jets off to Cleveland.
The Falcons went as far to postpone Matt Ryan's roster guarantee three days so the team could clear the runway for Watson. Now, the Falcons must attempt to bring back the quarterback they just rejected.
Ryan, who turns 37 in May, will receive a $7.5 million guarantee if he is on the Falcons roster by Tuesday.
There is a world where Ryan pushes this under the rug and pretends like this didn't happen. He's been with the Falcons since 2008 and is the longest-tenured starting quarterback for any franchise in the NFL. The Falcons are the only home he's known, so it makes sense that he would stay.
However, it never feels good to be rejected, and even though communication between Arthur Blank, general manager Terry Fontenot and Ryan has been reportedly consistent, there's a chance Ryan stays away and asks for his ticket out of Atlanta.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
There's also an issue when it comes to A.J. Terrell. His situation is not as serious as Ryan's, but fans might wonder how he feels considering the fact that he was floated in trade rumors and the Houston Texans didn't even receive a pick in exchange for Watson.
With the Falcons not completing a deal for Watson, they now become direction-less, and there isn't a whole lot of time for them to pick and stick with a plan.
