Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
In a recent Instagram post, Ryan spoke about the need for people to “listen and learn” from the protests instead of criticizing what they don’t understand.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan will never be able to relate to the Atlanta community as well as someone like Killer Mike, but Ryan understands the gravity of the situation surrounding the protests over the murder of George Floyd.
In a recent Instagram post, Ryan spoke about the need for people to listen and learn from the protests instead of criticizing what they don’t understand.
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Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan will be among the top 100 highest-paid athletes in 2020. Still, the perception of Ryan nationally has never been as consistent as his play on the field.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan will be among the top 100 highest-paid athletes in 2020. Still, the perception of Ryan nationally has never been as consistent as his play on the field.
Perhaps a different outcome in the Super Bowl would have brought more weight to Ryan’s name, but he can still redeem himself and should finish his career in elite territory statistically.
The former MVP is getting some major love from Pro Football Focus, though. Ryan was named the NFL’s most underrated quarterback by PFF. Check out the video shared by the site’s Twitter account below:
Matt Ryan: most underrated QB in the NFL pic.twitter.com/vVAvEnndkS
— PFF (@PFF) May 30, 2020
In ESPN’s quarterback commitment ratings, the Falcons were listed as the ninth-most tethered to their quarterback of the 32 NFL teams.
Two years ago, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan signed a five-year, $150 million contract extension through 2023. While he doesn’t often get the recognition he deserves nationally, Ryan’s presence at least gives the team a shot to compete each year.
Entering his 13th season in Atlanta, the 35-year-old has one of the most secure jobs in all of football. The earliest the team could even consider moving on from Ryan is 2022. In ESPN’s quarterback commitment ratings, the Falcons were listed as the ninth-most tethered to their quarterback of the 32 NFL teams.
Ryan is making $20.5 million this year, and only $5.5 million of his $23 million 2021 salary is guaranteed. But due to the restructuring the Falcons did of Ryan’s contract after the 2019 season, they’d have to eat a nearly $50 million dead-money charge if they were to cut him in the 2021 offseason.
The soonest they could realistically get out of the deal would be two years from now, at which time the dead-money charge would be “only” $26.525 million. Ryan has two more years in Atlanta for sure, and probably at least three.
Having a highly-paid quarterback can be both a blessing and a curse. Without one, a team isn’t likely to ever get over the hump. However, if a team has a quarterback and doesn’t manage the rest of the cap effectively, it’s easy to get stuck in mediocrity.
After two 7-9 finishes, the Falcons are trying desperately to get back to relevance in 2020.
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Four Falcons players made the Forbes top 100 highest-paid athletes list.
The tone of the Atlanta Falcons’ 2020 offseason has been different than in previous years under general manager Thomas Dimitroff.
Limited cap space has forced the team’s hand in cutting veterans Devonta Freeman and Desmond Trufant, while letting free agents De’Vondre Campbell, Austin Hooper and Vic Beasley sign elsewhere.
That’s simply the price this organization must pay for paying its top players, though. It’s hard to blame Dimitroff for extending Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Grady Jarrett.
As pointed out by Touchdown Wire, 31 NFL players made Forbes’ top 100 highest-paid athletes of 2020, including four Falcons. Ryan, Jones, Jarrett and free agent Dante Fowler Jr. are each set to earn big money in 2020. Let’s look at what TD Wire’s Barry Werner had to say about Atlanta’s highest rollers.
On Fowler. (No. 81):
Dante Fowler signed a three-year, $48 million contract as a free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in March 2020. This marks his third NFL team as he has been with the Jaguars and Rams. His earnings in 2020 will be $24.2M.
On Ryan (No. 47):
Longtime Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan is riding a long-term contract that will see him earn $24M in salary this year. Add in another $5.5M in endorsements and Ryan is at $29.5M.
On Jarrett (No. 37):
Atlanta’s Grady Jarrett plays every play ferociously and the Falcons love having him in their nest. The defensive lineman weighs in at $33.1M, with almost all of it coming from his NFL contract.
On Julio Jones (No. 26):
Atlanta’s star wideout Julio Jones was a great catch, and the Falcons are paying him as such. Jones will carry $37.5M from the team and another $3M in endorsements, putting him at $40.5M.
It’s tough to remain competitive with so many many big contracts, but the Falcons have the talent to make a run this year if they can avoid another slow start.
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Falcons center Alex Mack doesn’t know how much longer he’ll play, and therefore understands the team’s decision to draft Temple’s Matt Hennessy in the third round.
The Falcons may have found a long-term replacement for All-Pro center Alex Mack but the 34-year-old leader of the team’s offensive line continues to perform at an elite level.
Still, Mack doesn’t know how much longer he’ll play, and therefore understands the team’s decision to draft Temple’s Matt Hennessy in the third round. Talking to the media over a video chat, Mack praised the rookie.
“He seems like a great kid,” said Mack. “Excited to have him on board and teach him everything I can.”
Asked about Hennessy’s role, Mack said he thinks the rookie could start at guard, or be the backup center in 2020. Here’s a clip of Mack discussing Atlanta’s selection of Hennessy, as shared by ESPN’s Vaughn McClure:
Alex Mack on the drafting of Matt Hennessy. pic.twitter.com/F51IDpiioK
— vaughn mcclure (@vxmcclure23) May 28, 2020
Mack also talked about the unique situation the players are in to possibly be playing games this season without fans. Here he is on why that might not be an ideal situation for a center:
Alex Mack talks the possibility of playing with no fans in the stands and discusses why being mic’d up in a quiet stadium might not be so ideal for a center. pic.twitter.com/Ok1kMCbEIZ
— vaughn mcclure (@vxmcclure23) May 28, 2020
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Julio Jones has aged like a fine wine despite being one of the biggest receivers in the NFL.
Julio Jones has aged like a fine wine despite being one of the biggest receivers in the NFL.
His production has been remarkably consistent from year to year, and 2019 was no exception. In 15 games last season, Jones had 99 catches, 1,394 yards and six touchdowns. There were some great moments, including Jones’ touchdown to tie the game against the 49ers.
To help you make it through a slow week, check out this 2019 season highlight video of Atlanta’s big-play wideout, as shared by the team:
This man can absolutely ball.
Treat yo self with some JULIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO lites from 2019. pic.twitter.com/Gkme22Ve55
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) May 28, 2020
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Falcons fans don’t need any reminder that winning a football game usually comes down to how a team plays in the final minutes.
Falcons fans don’t need any reminder on how the difference between winning and losing a football game often comes down to how a team performs over the final minutes.
It’s the reason we obsess over game-winning drives and fourth-quarter comebacks. Playing well in clutch time is what separates the good and great players in the NFL.
Pro Football Focus came out with an all-clutch team from the 2019 season in which Ben Linsey picks a roster based on those players “who graded the best in the fourth quarter and overtime of one-score games (within eight points).”
Despite an underwhelming overall performance and 7-9 finish, Atlanta’s Deion Jones and Alex Mack made the starting lineup of PFF’s team of clutch performers. Jones was praised for his coverage ability:
If you look at the linebackers listed here, there is a pretty clear theme — these are players who make their name in coverage. Both first-team selections (Jones and Schobert) earned 90.0-plus coverage grades in the fourth quarter and overtime of one-score games, and they combined to allow one first down/touchdown on 10 targets with Jones intercepting a pass and Schobert forcing an incompletion. When the game is on the line and opposing offenses are marching, you want linebackers who can limit after-the-catch opportunities and make plays on the ball in coverage. That’s something all four of these linebackers can do.
For Mack, it’s more recognition as he’s been one of the league’s elite offensive linemen for the past decade. Here’s what PFF wrote about the All-Pro Falcons center:
Mack has been one of the best centers in the NFL for over a decade. Even on an Atlanta offensive line that was in disarray last season, he remained a constant for Matt Ryan and company. In this subset of plays, specifically, Mack allowed just one pressure on 59 pass-blocking snaps, good for a pass-blocking grade north of 80.0. Questions remain about how the young pieces like Kaleb McGary and Chris Lindstrom will progress, but Mack remains in Atlanta as an anchor that can be relied upon up front.
One of the reasons analysts have been high on Atlanta entering the previous few seasons is because the team has elite players at several key positions, including quarterback, defensive tackle and middle linebacker.
The Falcons purged their roster in an effort to free up cap space and get younger. Without a doubt, the pressure will be on in 2020 since the entire front office is potentially on the hot seat.
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The Falcons’ 2020 bandwagon has been pretty light on passengers as the offseason wraps up.
The Falcons’ 2020 bandwagon has been pretty light on passengers as the offseason winds down. Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar and Mark Schofield could both be considered exceptions, though.
Farrar ranked Atlanta’s defense at No. 11 in his NFL defensive rankings feature. Now, the team’s offense has received even higher praise.
In his offensive rankings for next season, Schofield has the Falcons coming in at No. 8:
Most of the attention paid to the NFC South this offseason involves the additions the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made, notably Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. We will get to them, but while the focus might be on a potential showdown between Brady and Drew Brees, do not forget about the Falcons. Matt Ryan might have seen a bit of regression in 2019, as he posted an Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt of 6.08 – his lowest mark since the 2013 season – but with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley on the outside, and Hayden Hurst added to work the middle of the field, this can still be a dangerous offense. Especially if the newly-acquired Todd Gurley can get back to the form he displayed while in Los Angeles.
Still, the Falcons are the third-ranked offense in the division, with both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 5), and the New Orleans Saints (No. 3) landing even higher.
Three offenses from the same division making the NFL’s top ten isn’t totally crazy when you look at the personnel on each team. It also goes to show that no matter how much Atlanta has improved in the offseason, the NFC South looks like an absolute juggernaut.
Fortunately, the Falcons should have the ammunition to keep up.
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Former Georgia football and Atlanta Falcons RB Todd Gurley is looking healthy in these latest workout videos.
The Atlanta Falcons signed 25 year old Todd Gurley to a one-year, $5.5 million contract this offseason after the Los Angeles Rams released the former NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
There have been plenty of concerns over Gurley’s knee, but nobody can really get to the bottom of just how severe the injury is. If there’s one thing that is certain, though, it’s that when healthy, Gurley is a top-three running back in the NFL.
If Gurley can prove that his knee injury is a thing of the past, the Falcons may be able to say they pulled off the ultimate NFL free agency steal this offseason.
In five NFL seasons, the former Georgia Bulldog superstar has amassed over 5,400 rushing yards and 58 touchdowns, adding another 2,091 receiving yards and 12 touchdown receptions.
The Atlanta Falcons posted two videos of their all-pro back working out his leg, and by the looks of it, he’s looking good to go.
Now that's leg strength. 💪@TG3II pic.twitter.com/jdycztgmiA
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) May 27, 2020
Putting in work. 👀@TG3II pic.twitter.com/UkqW7W9glX
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) May 26, 2020
According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Falcons have a 31 percent chance of making the playoffs in 2020, and a projected win total at 7.5.
The Falcons have done a lot to improve their roster for next season, but the NFC South looks to have improved quite a bit as well.
With the Saints returning as strong as ever, and the Buccaneers adding Tom Brady, many feel Atlanta will be on the outside looking in when the playoffs begin for the third year in a row.
According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Falcons have a 31 percent chance of making the playoffs in 2020, and a projected win total at 7.5. This would leave the team in third place in the division.
ESPN’s FPI has New Orleans ranked first, with a 10.2 win projection and an 82 percent chance of making the playoffs. Second place is Tampa Bay (9.1 projected wins, 62.9 chance of making playoffs).
Unsurprisingly, Carolina comes in last, with 5.7 projected wins and a seven percent chance of making the playoffs. This may come as a relief to Atlanta after falling well short of expectations the previous two seasons.
The Falcons’ success or failure in 2020 could very likely come down to the final quarter of the season when they face the Buccaneers twice and visit the Kansas City Chiefs.
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