5 Alternatives to Falcons After Matt Ryan Trade

Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

The Atlanta Falcons traded Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts for the third-round pick.

Matt Ryan’s Era Atlanta Falcons football is over, as the old franchise platform has been changed to Indianapolis Colts hours before he’s due a $7.5 million roster bonus Monday afternoon.

Ryan comes in for a Colts team that desperately needs stability in midfield. When it arrives, Indianapolis will be in contention for the AFC South title and will make noise when it comes to the playoffs. He has a chance to be a winner at this stage of his famous career. As for the Dirty Birds, they’ve hit the reset button and will go through a most painful rebuilding process.

For the first time since 2008, the Falcons entered the market for a fresh starter quartet.

Matt Ryan swap: 5 replacements for the Atlanta Falcons

5

Baker Mayfield

QB Cleveland Browns

Baker Mayfield is in need of a new home after the Deshaun Watson deal

The Deshaun Watson commercial debacle is the Falcons’ undo here. It completely alienated Ryan from the organization, leaving it with no choice but to turn from him for every penny on the dollar, while eating an ungodly $40 million in dead limits. . Now that the dust has settled, Cleveland Browns had to trade their former initiator, Baker Mayfield, after giving up the farm to Watson.

Mayfield will play on a one-year contract and will look to prove himself wherever he goes. Teams like the Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks and Falcons aren’t safe at quarterback. Dirty Bird Nation may not like replacing Ryan with Mayfield, but this will be something that will only last a year and potentially years after that. Atlanta is also a college football town.

Mayfield will benefit from playing in the south and in an attack where he can tackle around.