How can the Atlanta Falcons rebuild after Matt Ryan’s departure to Indianapolis? Atlanta Falcons Blog

FLOWERY BRANCH (Ga.) — That day was always coming. It was a day that would come at some point. Atlanta Falconswe’re going to move on after quarterback Matt RyanIt ended an era that had seen three division titles won and a Super Bowl appearance.

Ryan has now gone to the Indianapolis Colts. His departure marks a change for the Falcons. What that looks like, well, that’s why the Falcons hired general manager Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith a season ago.

Arthur Blank, Falcons owner at the time, was already discussing a plan to make Atlanta a post-Ryan place. The story of how it all unfolded after a failed search for a quarterback Deshaun WatsonSurprise!

The Falcons recognized the need to embrace the rebuilding process, and that’s not a bad thing.

Everything Fontenot and Smith have said over the past year has been that they’d like to try and win now while focusing on the long-term building of the Falcons. At some point, though, they were going to have to make a choice because straddling those two areas with a contract like Ryan’s — a $48 million cap hit — was never going to be palatable.

The Falcons made that decision.

To achieve financial freedom in 2023, you need to eat the money this season. It’s why Atlanta has over $62 million in dead money for 2022. When you’re trying to understand what the Falcons are doing here, understand it is probably a step backward in the short-term so they can instill their plan in the long-term.

What does it all mean?

2022 will be a difficult years

There’s no question. With more than a quarter of the team’s salary cap being consumed by dead money, there’s only going to be so much Atlanta can do to field a truly competitive team.

The Falcons will be both a young and experienced team. Signing quarterback Marcus MariotaIt makes sense to begin. Former No. 2 overall pick, he’s still under 30. He has familiarity with Smith’s system — he played for the Tennessee TitansMariota was there for the first five years his career, as Smith, then the offense coordinator, revived the quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s career in his final year with the team.

Mariota, and Smith to a certain degree, will be testing if it can happen again. The Falcons will have their problem solved if it happens. If it doesn’t, then the Falcons will likely have a top pick in the 2023 draft. They can invest in their next quarterback.

2022 could be another season for trying to figure out who the team can build around in the long-term. Many of these questions can be answered, particularly for under-25 players who are in tight end. Kyle PittsCornerback A.J. TerrellThe right guard Chris Lindstrom. The Falcons extended the left tackle contract for three years. Jake MatthewsThey likely see him as part their long-term future.

The season ahead could be similar to the last. There are many players on short-term contracts and a rotating group of faces that the Falcons try put together to see if they can get anyone else to join them. Atlanta is full of holes in the immediate. Monday’s other move — signing edge rusher Lorenzo Carter — is an intriguing one because it’s a spot the Falcons desperately need players.

The Falcons have still got holes at the receiver, edge rusher, and defensive lines. They need to improve competition along the offensive and linebacker lines. Atlanta’s lack of cap space combined with the draft picks they have means the players coming in will either be young, cheap (older veterans) or both (reclamation project fliers). Atlanta’s biggest challenge is to get as much of the 2022 draft. They will be required to play.

Don’t forget this, too. Fontenot would like to make use of the recently resigned Cordarrelle PattersonAs an example of what they can do, Atlanta has the opportunity to play at all positions so that they can bring in guys on short deals. Some will shine. Some will shine. Some will fail.

It’s not the best way to build a roster, but if the Falcons find a handful of players out of that group then it could give them a jump-start into 2023.

The quarterback question

Mariota is the right short-term solution. Mariota could become the long-term answer with good play. It remains to be seen, though it is unlikely Ryan will be replaced long-term.

It’s not a great class for the 2022 quarterback draft. Atlanta has too many holes in its roster to warrant drafting a No. 8 quarterback. 8 seems like a risky proposition unless Smith and Fontenot decide there’s a player they believe can be the heir to Ryan.

The Falcons could consider a player as a development player during the later rounds. Desmond Ridder is there on Day 2 he’d be a candidate — and continue to build other positions around the quarterback.

Fontenot and Smith can be patient knowing that Mariota is not going to be a Super Bowl candidate in 2022. If the Falcons decide to draft a rookie quarterback, the 2023 quarterback class will be significantly stronger than that of 2022.

As we saw with the previous two offseasons and the fact that veteran quarterbacks are looking for a move now more than ever before, the Falcons may be able to add a stalwart from another team instead of trading him away for the meager return of a third round pick.

2023 should provide relief

The Falcons should have a pick high that could be used to draft a quarterback if 2022 is as rough as it appears. Mariota could show production and it could become a huge bargaining chip to attract more young capital.

More important, Atlanta’s salary cap will finally be free of the mess left by former general manager Thomas Dimitroff. The Falcons, as of Monday, have no dead money for 2023 — although they’ll assuredly accrue some along the way, as most teams do. But they’ll also have potentially more than $140 million in cap space.

They can then pursue big-time, free agents and begin to have a healthy enough capital to be able start to operate like any other NFL franchise.

The reality

Fontenot Smith’s tenure at Atlanta didn’t feel like it began when they were hired. They had very little freedom and were stuck in a tight cap. They knew they would say what they needed to because football players want to win.

The judgment on their tenures began Monday. Many of the big contract albatrosses are gone, and they’ve made the 2022 decision to eat the cap and start the build. It won’t look pretty. It’ll be a hard sell for at least a year.

Fontenot & Smith sold Blank on their vision, and now they can begin building, block by block to see if the pieces fit together.