Falcons need a long-term plan at quarterback

Matt Ryan spent 14 years as the Falcons’ franchise quarterback before they traded him last week. Now the Falcons want to find a new quarterback who can lead their franchise for that long.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank said moving on from Ryan was the right call for the long-term health of the franchise.

“It has nothing to do with how much we appreciate or love Matt, which we do both. But you know, there has to be a long-term plan,” Blank said, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We have to get ready for the next 14-15 years. And that’s what our fans really should expect us to do. It shouldn’t be a fire drill when we have that transition to make. So, we’re trying to prepare for that as best we can.”

Blank knows this year is going to be a tough one, but noted that the Falcons will be in excellent salary cap shape a year from now.

“Next year we should be in a position where there’ll be the biggest cap space that we’ve had since I’ve owned the team over 21 years,” Blank said. “It’ll be something north of $100 million to $110 million. So, we’ll have an opportunity to extend our own players and be more active in free agency than we were this year.”

A 15-year plan at quarterback likely means drafting the franchise quarterback. Given the state of the Falcons’ roster in 2022, they may have the first overall pick in the draft in 2023.

Arthur Blank: Falcons need a long-term plan at quarterback originally appeared on Pro Football Talk