With NFL free agency set to begin next Wednesday, the Falcons have created some additional cap space by restructuring Matt Ryan’s contract.
According to Ian Rapoport, the Falcons clear up $12 million in cap space with the move.
Spotrac now shows that GM Terry Fontenot will have just over $16 million to spend once the new league year officially begins. The Falcons got an unexpected $11 million added to their cap following the suspension of Calvin Ridley earlier this week.
The move to push more of Ryan’s money down the road all but ensures he will be back under center for the Falcons for his 15th season following some speculation that he could be a target for QB-needy teams around the league. With the reported restructuring, Ryan’s dead cap hit would rise above $55.5 million for the upcoming season.
Ryan will be 37-years-old when week one rolls around and he remains under contract through the 2023 season. Ahead of free agency and a critical NFL Draft, it appears that the team is ready to build around Ryan rather than enter a rebuild.