Getty Falcons' QB Matt Ryan looking downbeat.
Matt Ryan could be on borrowed time with the Atlanta Falcons. He’s 36 and enduring a tough season on a 5-7 team. Ryan is also carrying a significant cap hit for 2022, $48,622,500 to be precise, according to Spotrac.com.
All signs point to Ryan possibly moving on this offseason, but not everybody thinks the Falcons will use the 2022 NFL draft to replace their starting quarterback. At least one ESPN pundit believes Atlanta will risk giving a former first-round bust of the Chicago Bears a chance to revive his career.
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Falcons OC Made Draft Flop a Pro Bowler
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler named Mitchell Trubisky as a signal-caller the Falcons could pursue during next year’s free agency period. Fowler’s logic is based on Trubisky’s familiarity with the Falcons’ coaching staff, specifically offensive coordinator Dave Ragone:
The Bills believe Trubisky will get a good job elsewhere in 2022. His market was slow in March, but perhaps a year in the shadows will spark something. If Atlanta goes cheaper at QB, offensive coordinator Dave Ragone has intimate knowledge of Trubisky from his days on Chicago’s staff. He was Trubisky’s quarterbacks coach when he went to the Pro Bowl in 2018.
It’s a decent argument, and there’s merit to the idea Trubisky, who is now serving as Josh Allen’s backup with the Buffalo Bills, could transform Atlanta’s offense. He’d bring a dual-threat element to the quarterback position Ryan lacks.
The latter is the classic, statuesque pocket passer. There’s not much chance of Ryan gashing defenses with his wheels. It’s a different story with Trubisky, whose mobility may be his best asset.
Ragone took advantage of that quality in 2018 when Trubisky finished third among Bears’ rushers after gaining 421 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. There’s a read-option element to any offense Trubisky is involved with, and that could also appeal to Falcons head coach Arthur Smith.
GettyTrubisky’s dual-threat skills helped the Bears reach the playoffs in 2018.
Like Ragone, Smith has worked with running quarterbacks before. He served two seasons as offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans before taking the job in Atlanta. Smith worked with option-QB Marcus Mariota then Ryan Tannehill.
Regardless of who played quarterback, Smith called a run-first offense designed around Derrick Henry. There’s talent aplenty in the Falcons backfield, where Cordarrelle Patterson and Mike Davis share carries.
Patterson recently called for the Falcons to keep the ball on the ground, per Kris Rhim of the team’s official website: “We just keep running the ball like we’ve been doing, and we’ll be alright.”
Meanwhile, Smith has already accused Ragone’s offense of being predictable this season:
“We became obvious.” Arthur Smith said if the Falcons can be more balanced, stay on schedule it ultimately helps the offensive line.
A quarterback able to run would mean more balance and variety. Trubisky would also have a better chance of making the grade with a coordinator he knows and a head coach ready to play to his strengths.
He’d need the help after losing his starting job in Chicago and wasting the bumper trade that cost the Bears the third-overall pick in 2017 and three additional mid-round choices. The Bears eventually declined Trubisky’s fifth-year option, forcing him to seek pastures new just three years after being drafted.
Ryan Likely Not Going Anywhere Just Yet
Shifting Ryan from the Falcons’ 2022 salary cap will be a tough needle to thread for general manager Terry Fontenot. The hefty cap hit means Atlanta may be better served agreeing to an extension for the 14-year veteran.
An extension is endorsed by Falcons Wire writer Deen Worley:
Adding more years to his current deal will not only allow for the team to distribute his $48 million cap hit for next season in a more digestible manner, but it also has the potential to add $18 million to this year’s cap budget. Without making any more moves, this would bring Atlanta to an estimated $31.3 million to sign 20 players at least.
Another year or two of Ryan won’t appeal to those who have grown tired of his performances. Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner tweeted on December 6 about his irritations regarding Ryan’s decision-making, writing in part, “He makes so many big time throws, but equally as many confusing reads & decisions!!!”
Few QBs frustrate me more watching film than #MattRyan… he makes so many big time throws, but equally as many confusing reads & decisions!!! I have no idea what to make of it… not sure how it’s possible, but it’s every week???
The criticism isn’t entirely fair given the lack of talent around Ryan. Most quarterbacks would struggle in his situation, so Ryan might prefer to stick around and see if the Falcons add a few more playmakers to his unit.