Matt Ryan is at the center of NFL trade rumors after Deshaun Watson engaged in talks with the Atlanta Falcons about the possibility of being their next quarterback. While it seemed insane at first given Ryan’s contract, the Falcons never actually restructured his deal, which left the door open for a possible Watson acquisition.
NFL Trade Rumors: Matt Ryan has earned the right to choose his destination
There is no evidence of a no-trade clause in Ryan’s contract, according to both Over The Cap and Spotrac. However, after 14 great years with the Falcons, Ryan has earned the right to choose his next destination, as long as the compensation presented by teams is similar.
While the NFL is a business, and businesses must do what’s best for them, giving this to Ryan doesn’t only affect the two parties. That loyalty and respect displayed by the franchise to the longtime QB impacts how the rest of the roster and those outside look at the organization.
Only three teams make sense for the Ryan NFL trade rumors. The Colts, Browns, and Seahawks should all consider the veteran. But what would the compensation look like, and which team should he want to choose?
1) Indianapolis Colts
For four seasons, Franch Reich and Marcus Brady have gone from Jacoby Brissett to late-stage Philip Rivers to Carson Wentz. Stability hasn’t been in their vocabulary.
Although Ryan is almost 37, he still has juice left in that right arm. He struggled in 2021 with Atlanta, but that roster was a trainwreck, and they still found a way to win seven games. Ryan would enjoy having a few weapons at his disposal and a fine offensive line. Nyheim Hines and Jonathan Taylor are both weapons out of the backfield as well.
Indianapolis doesn’t have a first-round selection in 2022, but they have picks 42, 73, and 82. A combination of their second-rounder and one of the third-round picks feels like ample compensation for a quarterback who can lead them to the playoffs in a weak AFC South. The Indy trade rumors should start heating up.
2) Cleveland Browns
The Browns might be a more talented team than Indianapolis, but Ryan is almost 37, and playing in the AFC North at that age is not something most individuals would probably choose willingly. Additionally, Ryan has always played in a dome throughout his career in Atlanta.
Amari Cooper and Ryan would be a good match. That combination alone should be enough to get the NFL trade rumors flowing. David Njoku is an acceptable target over the middle, and he helps in the run game. Donovan Peoples-Jones has upside, and the Browns have a great offensive line and running back.
3) Seattle Seahawks
Contrary to popular belief, the Seahawks aren’t trying to hit the reset button. They wouldn’t have spent the money on Quandre Diggs if they were going through a rebuild. Why would 70-year-old Pete Carroll want to go through the stress of a rebuild?
Seattle also currently has the sixth-most salary cap space in the NFL, which would make Ryan-to-Seattle trade rumors make sense. They don’t have the offensive line of Cleveland or Indianapolis, but they could address that in free agency.
Seattle also has the draft capital in 2022 to make a better offer than Indianapolis or Cleveland after the Russell Wilson trade. They currently have the ninth, 40th, 41st, and 72nd pick in the NFL Draft.