Waiting for the Atlanta Falcons to re-sign Matt Ryan and reset the quarterback market? Don't hold your breath.
Even though the Falcons would like to dictate the pace of the inevitable QB carousel, as NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday, Atlanta is in no rush to finish Ryan's extension before the start of free agency, when Kirk Cousins is expected to break the bank with record figures.
"I'm not concerned," Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff told reporters when asked about Ryan's contract Wednesday. "Like I've said before, our focus is on Matt and getting him secured here for years to come. He wants to be with us, we want him to be here. As I've said, I don't think it's a complicated situation. I think it's a significant situation. He's a very important part to the organization. There's no time frame on it right now.
"I think you would like to go into the season making sure that things are secured but there's no time frame as far as people saying, 'Well, do you want to get this done before free agency?' Of course you'd like to get it done tomorrow, just because it's a load off your mind."
Ryan is entering the final season of a five-year, $103.8 million extension he signed in 2013. The 2016 league MVP is slated to make $19.25 million in 2018, the highest base salary among QBs behind Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers -- who is also up for an extension.
Since Ryan last signed a contract, QB numbers have increased steadily. Just last year alone, Derek Carr ($25M), Matthew Stafford ($27M) and Jimmy Garoppolo ($27.5M) each held the title, albeit briefly, of Highest-Paid Player in the League Based on Average Salary (HPPLBAS, for short?).
Will Ryan earn that moniker at some point? The league year begins March 14. After that, all bets are off.
