The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A BIG RAISE?
Falcons’ Matt Ryan in line for huge contract
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is in line to become the NFL’s first $30 million-a-year man.
“It’s quite possible,” CBS Sports NFL business analyst Joel Corry told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday. “Kirk Cousins might beat him to it, if he’s an unrestricted free agent.”
The five-year, $137.5 million deal that unproven Jimmy Garoppolo recently signed with the 49ers has changed the market for quarterbacks.
“Also, Aaron Rodgers is probably going to get a new contract this year,” said Corry, a former
NFL agent who holds an economics degree from Emory. “Their timetable in Green Bay has always been when he’s had two years left on his deal, which is right now. Ryan should have Kirk Cousins
as a floor because I’m assuming Kirk Cousins will come in ahead of Garoppolo. That will set a new standard.”
Garoppolo’s deal averages $27.5 million per year.
The former Eastern Illinois quarterback was drafted in the second round by the Patriots in 2014. He played in 18 games and made two starts before being trad-
ing to the 49ers last season. He made five starts for the 49ers and is 7-0 as a starter.
San Francisco general manager John Lynch was comfortable, based on five starts with the team, to give him a hefty market-value contract.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank said he wants Ryan to do a team-friendly deal that would allow them flexibility to keep the top players around the franchise quarterback in place. Tom Condon, Ryan’s agent, has not responded to phone calls and emails requesting an interview.
“That’s an interesting negotiation tactic by Arthur Blank, trying to guilt Matt Ryan publicly into taking less money,” Corry said. “He’s represented by Tom Condon, who doesn’t have the words ‘hometown discount’ in his vocabulary. If Tom Condon is the one guiding the ship as opposed to Matt Ryan directing him on what to do, you’ve got a snowball’s chance in hell of him coming in for less than Jimmy Garoppolo.”
Then, there’s the matter of Cousins’ deal. The Redskins are not expected to re-sign him after agreeing to acquire Alex Smith from Kansas City on Jan. 30.
“Kirk Cousins has never won a playoff game,” Corry said. “Matt Ryan is (a former) MVP. He has taken a team to the Super Bowl. Won multiple playoff games. As long as Matt Ryan doesn’t tell Tom Condon to leave money on the table … if the Falcons want a deal done, they are going to have to pay the going rate for a high-caliber quarterback.”
When the Falcons strike a deal with Ryan, they can lower his cap number by $7 million to $10 million, depending on how the deal is structured. He currently has a $19.25 million cap number for 2018, which is the final year of the six-year, $103.75 million contract he signed in 2013.
“(How much cap room the Falcons clear) will depend on whether they are going to employ that signing bonus/ option bonus concept that they did with the deal that he’s under right now and that they did with Desmond Trufant’s deal,” Corry said. “That will give them more cap room than just a pure signing bonus.
“Even if they decided to give him a record signing bonus ahead of his buddy Matthew Stafford, who also has Tom Condon as an agent, they could pick up anywhere from $7 million to $7.5 million in cap room.”
Signing Ryan to a market-value contract would hurt the Falcons’ financial flexibility down the road.
“Your bigger issues are going to come from the fact that you’ve got a bunch of young defensive players on rookie contracts,” Corry said. “You’re going to have to decide which ones to pay.”
This offseason, the Falcons may not be able to retain defensive tackle Dontari Poe and defensive end Adrian Clayborn.
“Even with Poe, Grady Jarrett is going into a contract year,” Corry said. “Poe is going to try to get the going rate for a run-stuffer, which is $10 (million), $11 (million) to $12 million per year. Can you really do that and also pay Grady Jarrett? There may be a choice between the two.”
Now you see why Blank was banging the table for a Falcons-friendly deal.