One year after the Atlanta Falcons traded quarterback Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts, the former NFL MVP is set to be released, according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Ryan, 37, had a forgettable year in Indianapolis, getting benched multiple times as the Colts fumbled their way through the 2022 season. The Falcons received a third-round pick in exchange for Ryan last offseason, while incurring an NFL-record $40.5 million dead cap hit.
During his 14 seasons in Atlanta, Ryan passed for 59,735 yards, 367 touchdowns and 170 interceptions. It’s unclear if the former No. 3 overall pick will retire or look to sign elsewhere in free agency.
According to Rapoport, the Colts negotiated a new contract with Ryan that guarantees him $12 million this season, regardless if he’s on the roster or not.
As part of the #Colts trade to acquire QB Matt Ryan, his agent negotiated a new contract that included a $12M guarantee in 2023 that was not in his previous contract. Ryan remains entitled to the $12M regardless of what he decides to do this season. Amazing.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2023
Since moving on from Ryan, the Falcons have signed and released Marcus Mariota, drafted Desmond Ridder, and on Tuesday, the team agreed to terms with free-agent quarterback Taylor Heinicke.
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