Falcons, Ryan in talks for new deal
The ice has been broken. The Atlanta Falcons have opened negotiations with quarterback Matt Ryan’s agent, Tom Condon, which could lead to the NFL’s first contract worth $30 million a year. Ryan is set to enter the last year of his $103.75 million contract, but the team wants to lock him up for the future and reduce his salary cap number for next season. “The initial talks were positive, of course,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said Wednesday at the NFL scouting combine. “We both know where Matt needs to be (financially). He needs to be here, and he wants to be here and, as I said, I don’t think it’s a complicated situation. It’s a deal that’s significant. We are just going to have to be mindful of not stressing too much about the timing of it. Our job is to get it done, obviously soon. I can see it getting done in the relatively near future. But I’m not stressing if it’s delayed.” The five-year $137.5 million deal that unproven Jimmy Garoppolo recently signed with the San Francisco 49ers has changed the market for NFL quarterbacks. Garoppolo’s deal averages $27.5 million per year. The Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers and the Washington Redskins’ Kirk Cousins are also in line for lucrative contracts this offseason.
› INDIANAPOLIS — Denver Broncos general manager John Elway is giving his clearest indication yet he’s going to pursue
Kirk Cousins, the prize of this year’s free-agent quarterbacks. “We’re going to explore all options in free agency and see where that goes,” Elway said Wednesday at the NFL combine. “Obviously we’ve got the fifth pick in the draft, too. That will all play into it. We’ll continue to look at all of the options out there when it comes to quarterback.” Elway stressed he’ll look at “anybody that won’t be under contract.” With the Redskins moving on to
Alex Smith, whom they’ve agreed to acquire from Kansas City, that group of free agents would include Cousins. Elway said he’s confident the team could absorb a big free-agent contract under the salary cap, revealed the Broncos are considering moving
Ronald Leary back to left guard and indicated highly paid receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas aren’t going anywhere.
OLYMPICS
› Scott Blackmun resigned as chief executive officer of the U.S. Olympic Committee on Wednesday, stepping aside so he can tackle his worsening bout with prostate cancer and allow the federation to move forward under new leadership to address the sexual abuse scandal that has rocked gymnastics and other sports. The 60-yearold CEO was diagnosed with prostate cancer in January and did not attend the recent Pyeongchang Games. Blackmun exited as calls for his ouster were growing louder — from two U.S. senators and, more notably, from a number of gymnasts and other athletes who said neither he nor the USOC at large reacted properly to cases including those involving Larry Nassar, the doctor who sexually abused members of the U.S. gymnastics team.