It appears as if the Matt Ryan-Julio Jones connection will live to see another day in Atlanta.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Ryan is “not going anywhere” and the Falcons have not had any trade conversations with any other team involving the quarterback or Jones.
Pelissero added that the expectation is that both players will be on the roster in 2021.
The trade rumors around Ryan and Jones, particularly Ryan, have been picking up steam in recent months after the Falcons had yet another disappointing season – finishing 4-12.
With the team hiring a new GM and head coach, many believed it would be in store for a rebuild and would part ways with their 35-year-old quarterback.
Except moving on from Ryan, and Jones for that matter, is not quite easy.
The Falcons are already over the salary cap and trading both players before June 1 would still cost them money against the cap, particularly Ryan, who would still be a $3.5 million cap hit and $44 million in dead money.
Ryan has failed to recapture the magic from his 2016 season, when he won the MVP after throwing for 4,944 yards, 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Last year, he threw for 4,581 yards, 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
New head coach Arthur Smith, who was previously the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator, is expected to run a variation of Kyle Shanahan’s offense that Ryan excelled in in 2016.
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