Over the NFL offseason, the Atlanta Falcons moved on from veteran quarterback Matt Ryan.
After 14 seasons with the team, they sent the quarterback to Indianapolis Colts in a trade deal.
The quarterback who once led the team to the Super Bowl was sent to another team.
But why would the Falcons move on from their star quarterback?
Things With Ryan And Atlanta Soured After Failed Attempt To Get Deshaun Watson
The Deshaun Watson sweepstakes saw several NFL teams attempting to trade for the young quarterback.
The Falcons were one of those teams with a desire to acquire him.
However, they failed in appeasing to Watson to join the Atlanta roster.
That failure led to issues with their current starter in Atlanta.
Brady actively undermined Garappolo every chance he could and got him traded. Matt Ryan asked out of Atlanta once they started looking for another QB. No NFL QB wants to be replaced, especially when they believe they are still a starter
— Nigel Cornelius (@NigelCornelius) May 3, 2022
Ryan still believes he’s a starting caliber quarterback.
It’s why he’s in Indianapolis with a team that needs a starter with proven success.
Now the Falcons are stuck with Marcus Mariota, a former starting quarterback of the Tennessee Titans.
But was it wise to move on from Ryan before his contract was up by pursuing Watson?
Falcons Might Have Desired Younger Quarterback Over The Aging Ryan
One thing NFL teams understand is how players can’t play forever.
Not every quarterback is Tom Brady, the current Iron Man of the NFL.
With that in mind, the Falcons could have desired Watson because he’s both young and a playoff veteran quarterback.
He was a combination of youth and experience any team would want.
However, passing over Ryan before he was ready to leave might not be the best decision in hindsight.
They now have a team with no weapons on offense.
Their quarterback is average and their best receiver is suspended for one year.
hop is suspended for things that can potentially be harmful to himself and is suspd 6 games. calvin ridley bet on a game he wasn’t playing in and was suspd a year? make it make sense.
— Knock On Wood (@mister_wood74) May 2, 2022
With Ridley out for the season, the Falcons are in real trouble for 2022.
Are The Falcons Looking For The First Overall Pick In 2023?
There could be positive news for Atlanta during the 2022 NFL season.
If the team has a terrible season in 2022, they could get the coveted first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
That draft will have some of the best college quarterbacks for Atlanta to choose from.
However, is having a losing season worth it to get a new quarterback?
With the Falcons franchise, that’s a simple question to answer.
They don’t mind losing to get the best quarterback in the NFL Draft.
It would give them the replacement they wanted earlier in the 2022 offseason.
It will take time for a rookie quarterback to develop.
Also, the player they draft could be an NFL bust, something they can’t afford.
However, it happens to many quarterbacks when looking at the history of the NFL Draft.
From Johnny Manziel to Ryan Leaf, there are plenty of quarterbacks from the NFL Draft that were busts.
However, some problems with quarterback busts in the NFL are the coaches working with them.
Poor coaching can lead rookie players down a path of failure.
With the coaching staff in Atlanta, any potential rookie quarterbacks may face that nightmare with the Falcons.
NEXT: Falcons HC Shuts Down A Common Narrative In 2022