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The Falcons made it clear after the resignation of coach Dan Quinn and GM Thomas Dimitroff that the next coach and GM will have an important voice in determining the future of key players like quarterback Matt Ryan and receiver Julio Jones.
New coach Arthur Smith recently explained on a video visit to PFT that assessments by both key players, along with the rest of the squad, were not made.
“No personnel decisions have been made now,” said Smith. “It is so early. . . . We will not make rash judgments. It is a long process. We have to come in here with staves. We need to examine all the guys on this list. And we will take our time. There is no decision to be made today. It’s not Matt and Julio, they are all the players on this list. “
Owner Arthur Blank said Ryan will play a role in deciding his future, leaving the door open for a divorce initiated by the player, not the team. When talking to Ryan, did Arthur Smith get the impression that Ryan wants to stay?
“I don’t want to speak for Matt,” said Smith. “We had good conversations. And I have a lot of respect for Matt. I know what Matt is about, the people who work with him. These conversations are ongoing, but I will never speak for one of my players. I will say to them: ‘You have to speak for yourself’ ”.
The salary cap, which some believe will be $ 180 million in 2021, hangs on Ryan and Jones. Ryan has a maximum limit of $ 40.9 million. Of this amount, $ 17.9 million comes from previous bonuses and restructuring. Trading it would add another $ 26.5 million to that total.
So, except for an extension that reduces Ryan’s maximum number of 2021, the Falcons will carry a load of more than $ 40 million, whether he’s on the team or not. For Jones, the limit number will be over $ 23 million, whether or not he is on the team.
That’s over $ 63 million for two players. If the limit actually drops to $ 180 million, $ 117 million remains for the rest of the list. So, in any case, it will be a challenge for Falcons to be as competitive as they can be in 2021.