The Atlanta Falcons are headed in the direction of what is probably going going to be a really lengthy 2022 season. Atlanta lacks a franchise quarterback and shall be part of a division with two veteran rosters within the Saints and Bucs who each are anticipated to be in playoff rivalry. Add within the truth Atlanta is inside the highest ten in energy of schedule and the season seems to be a race for a high draft decide.
Whereas one might argue that is precisely the strategy Atlanta wants to search out their quarterback of the longer term it’s tough when the workforce might nonetheless have Matt Ryan on the helm. The workforce’s poor determination to chase Deshaun Watson price the workforce with Ryan deciding to go away Atlanta and be a part of a significantly better workforce in Indy.
The Colts solely paid a third-rounder for Ryan and seem like an actual playoff contender heading into the season.
Buying and selling Ryan was the fitting transfer on the unsuitable causes and on the unsuitable time. If Atlanta had caught with Matt Ryan there’s loads of motive to imagine they may very well be a wildcard contender. Final season Atlanta was a surprisingly aggressive workforce with the Falcons hanging within the wildcard race into the ultimate weeks of the season.
This low season Atlanta has improved at working again, receiver, edger rusher, nook, and add much-needed depth on each side of the ball within the trenches. Atlanta improved at each place on the sphere apart from crucial one.
Matt Ryan would make this workforce aggressive although they nonetheless wouldn’t be a real playoff contender. Maybe pointing to the rationale Atlanta felt they wanted to start out over on the place and create extra cap area within the coming seasons.
Nonetheless, it’s exhausting to not contemplate the Falcons might have drafted Ridder and stored Ryan for another season. Ryan could be an important mentor for Ridder and provides the Falcons one closing season of stability earlier than the Falcons moved on to search out their quarterback of the longer term.
Whereas it could be extra painful within the quick workforce buying and selling Ryan does give Atlanta the prospect to speed up the rebuild. Whereas giving Ryan a much-deserved probability to win immediately. Atlanta will be capable to shortly discover out whether or not Ridder is the reply whereas buying a high draft decide to offer them an choice to draft a quarterback subsequent low season if Ridder isn’t the reply.
Little question Atlanta Falcons followers will shortly understand simply how a lot Ryan did for this workforce and the franchise as an entire. His loss will shortly be felt for a workforce that didn’t have to maneuver off of the best quarterback within the historical past of their franchise.
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