Matt Ryan never seems to get the credit he deserves as a quarterback, but Andy Benoit of MMQB has placed the Atlanta Falcons passer at No. 9 in his latest rankings. You can find the full list here.
These kind of lists are very popular this time of year. We are in the ‘dead zone’ of the NFL calendar, eagerly awaiting training camp as the 2015 season inches closer.
Here is what Benoit had to say about Matty Ice:
"9. Matt Ryan, FalconsNewfound ability to play on the move could catapult him higher on this list, especially in Kyle Shanahan’s system."
Ryan finishes above the Cowboys’ Tony Romo, who finished 2014 with the highest passer rating in the NFL. He also places higher than Russell Wilson and Eli Manning.
The only NFC South quarterback above Ryan is Drew Brees. Brees’ ability may be slowly declining, but he is still a top-tier passer who will ensure the Saints’ offense is strong again this year.
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Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady came in top of the list, with 2014 season MVP Aaron Rodgers close behind. Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger make up the top five.
What will be interesting is how this list looks a year from now.
Manning showed signs of dramatic decline at the back end of 2014. Maybe it was just his quad injury, but it’s also possible it was a sign of things to come. To a smaller scale, the same could be said of Brees.
If Ryan has another strong year, he could find himself pushing close to the top five in future years.
What do you think of Benoit’s rankings? Do you feel Ryan is fairly placed?