3 Players on the Atlanta Falcons cap that will play elsewhere

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Mar 22, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts Quarterback Matt Ryan (2) holds up his new uniform after a press conference to announce his joining of the team at Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Matt Ryan $40.5-million

Part of the reason that trading Matt Ryan was so shocking is the fact that it left the Atlanta Falcons with the largest dead cap hit in NFL history. Atlanta is stuck with a $40-million dollar cap hit despite the fact Marcus Mariota is now their quarterback. Sending Ryan elsewhere to a place that gives the veteran to win was the right move. The problem is the timing of the move and how it all happened within a matter of days.

Rebuilding is a straightforward process you trade veterans and part ways with core members of the previous regime. Any novice Madden player can tell you how to tear down a roster. It is building the roster back up into a contender that can become a bit tricky.

The fact Atlanta mismanaged the front end of the rebuild is a major red flag and has left them in a worse situation than they had to be in. For Matt Ryan, this is a great chance to show the rest of the league he is still a top ten quarterback and capable of elevating a team back to the playoffs. A Ryan trade was inevitable but the timing and how it happened was far from ideal.

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