Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan
To sum this one up as briefly as possible, I feel like short of a renegotiated contract, the Falcons are stuck with Matt Ryan for at least another year.
The Falcons’ lack of team success since they reached the Super Bowl is baffling given the fact they have a guy in Ryan who is considered one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL since he came into the league back in 2008.
Not to mention, up until 2021, Ryan has had one of the best receivers of the last decade in Julio Jones, and Calvin Ridley has developed into a star as well.
The Falcons drafted Kyle Pitts this year and, statistically speaking, he put up outstanding numbers. The Falcons’ 7-10 record represents an improvement from last season, but it’s just not where you expect a team with an upper-tier QB to be.
That makes one wonder — on what tier is Matt Ryan, exactly?
Is he on the same tier as guys like Kirk Cousins and Derek Carr? Maybe, but those guys have clearly had more success in recent years and arguably with less talent around them.
Again, I feel like the Falcons and head coach Arthur Smith are stuck with Matt Ryan in 2022, and maybe that’s exactly where they want to be.