The Atlanta Falcons are prepared to wait for Deshaun Watson to make up his mind. Even if it means delaying a payment due their own quarterback.
Matt Ryan was supposed to be paid a roster bonus worth $7.5 million on Friday, March 18, but the Falcons have pushed the deadline, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
Falcons now have pushed back the $7.5 million roster bonus due Friday to QB Matt Ryan to Tuesday, giving Atlanta four extra days to hear the Deshaun Watson decision and be able to trade Ryan if necessary, per league sources.
The decision means the Falcons can wait on Watson, who is said to be choosing between his hometown team and Atlanta’s NFC South rivals the New Orleans Saints.
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Ryan Contract Update Increases Falcons’ Watson Hopes
The state of play with Watson is complex, at least in terms of interested parties having to play the waiting game. He’s met with the Falcons, Saints, Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns to discuss a possible trade away from the Houston Texans this offseason.
All four teams impressed Watson, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, but the Browns were the first to be told no sale, per Schefter. The Falcons have always appeared in a favorable position because of a strong hometown lure for Georgia native Watson.
He played at Gainesville High and even worked as a ball boy for the Falcons. Watson has a rapport with team owner Arthur Blank and also knows franchise great Warrick Dunn, whose charity once helped to house Watson, according to Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon.
That’s a lot of history for Watson to ignore if he were to say no to the Falcons. It’s not something the franchise appears ready to countenance, with Jeremy Fowler of ESPN describing how the Falcons have courted Watson and plan to build around him:
After asking around, feeling is Falcons have stood strong in Deshaun Watson process and Watson has felt the love as far as the team’s plan and recruitment, with many people reaching out. Falcons can load up in 2023 w/ ample cap space. Short term, can add FA WRs and RBs pieces.
Any plan to build around Watson will surely mean circumnavigating Ryan altogether.
Ryan, Falcons Headed for Crossroads
Ryan could be forgiven for being less than impressed by the Falcons’ overt attempts to recruit his replacement. Yes, he’s 36 and carrying hefty cap hits for the next two years, but the veteran is still a highly capable starting quarterback in the NFL.
Ryan’s been the face of the franchise since 2008, compiling a 120-102 record, according to StatMuse, and taking the Falcons to Super Bowl LI. It’s the CV of a proud pro QB who may not be easy to placate if the Falcons go all in for Watson and fail to land their man.
There was a report from Schefter and his ESPN colleague Chris Mortensen stating the Falcons had kept Ryan “informed.” This report was quickly refuted by the signal-caller’s sister-in-law, Maggie Marshall Ryan:
@AdamSchefter @mortreport Then he reported wrong…
The Falcons latest move to smooth a path to Watson could prompt a cold reaction from Ryan, who is still under contract. Presumably, trading Ryan would be necessary for the Falcons to accommodate Watson.
As Schefter pointed out, dealing Ryan before the roster bonus is due would obviously yield a saving for the Falcons. Money that would no doubt go toward paying part of Watson’s terms.
Ironically, Watson’s jilted suitor could help solve a sticky situation. The Browns could trade for Ryan, according to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. She names Ryan a “possibility,” saying he “would make the Browns a playoff contender in 2022.”
Cleveland’s current starter, Baker Mayfield, wants out, per Schefter, although NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports the team is unlikely to yield to the quarterback’s wishes:
And the #Browns, I’m told, said no to Baker Mayfield’s trade request. They do not plan to honor it.
Whatever happens with Mayfield and Ryan, the Falcons are acting like it will be worth it to wait a little longer for Watson, who hasn’t played since 2020 while facing charges of sexual misconduct. A Texas grand jury declined to indict Watson on Friday, March 11.
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New Matt Ryan Update Heats Up Deshaun Watson, Falcons Rumors