The Atlanta Falcons spent the past week alienating Matt Ryan — the best quarterback in their franchise’s history — during a failed pursuit of Deshaun Watson. And in doing so, they destroyed any leverage they had in trade negotiations to move Ryan ahead of a 4 p.m. Monday roster bonus deadline.
The classic Falcons miscalculation fully backfired on Monday when the team agreed to trade Ryan — a former MVP and four-time Pro Bowler — to the Indianapolis Colts for a single 2022 third-round pick. Just like that, the Falcons went from what would’ve been win-now mode with Watson to a full-on rebuild.
The trade brings an end to Ryan’s time in Atlanta where he had spent his entire career since being drafted out of Boston College in 2008. But really, it was difficult to overlook the little return the Falcons got for Ryan.
Done deal: The #Falcons are trading former NFL MVP Matt Ryan to the #Colts for a 2022 third-round pick, sources tell me, @RapSheet and @MikeGarafolo.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 21, 2022
They could not have played the Watson pursuit worse, and now the Falcons are looking at one of the worst rosters in the NFL heading into the 2022 season. And NFL fans understandably crushed the Falcons for the desperation move.
This was how Twitter reacted
Atlanta got more back for Mohamed Sanu than Matt Ryan I am wheezing
— Carter Donnick (@CDonnick3) March 21, 2022
the falcons doing an "oopsy-daisy" teardown they probably should've done anyways but only after pissing off one group of fans by chasing deshaun and another group by failing to get him is incredible
— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) March 21, 2022
Matt Ryan is the single most important player in the history of the Atlanta Falcons franchise.
What a way to end his run with a botched pursuit of a replacement and then a hurried move to beat the clock on a roster bonus.
— Brad Rowland (@BTRowland) March 21, 2022
The Falcons are going to be so, so bad this season. https://t.co/JfcRiyOcGv
— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) March 21, 2022
The Falcons have a running back, who is a wide receiver, and a tight end, who is a wide receiver, but almost literally no wide receivers. Amazing roster https://t.co/5PlYA6NGRh
— Jason Kirk (@thejasonkirk) March 21, 2022
Terry Fontenot is the worst gm in falcons history https://t.co/a0IC1Ku8xN
— Carlton (@CrispyCarlton) March 21, 2022
As far as the Falcons: This whole entire thing has been a clown show from start to finish.
— Jeanna Kelley (@jeannathomas) March 21, 2022
Finally the Falcons are rebuilding, but the fact this regime was forced into doing so tells me they're not fit for the job.
— Mr. Name 5 Falcons 💀💯 (@projectjax) March 21, 2022
as a falcons fan, i for one am very excited for 2022 pic.twitter.com/D5eTvfTlpY
— nick ercolano (@nickercolano) March 21, 2022
It’s going to be a long season in Atlanta.
