Matt Ryan has defeated 29 of the 32 NFL teams in his 15-year career. But he’s never faced the Atlanta Falcons.
It’s possible, though, that he could face the Falcons twice in the 2023 season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht shared during a radio appearance that the team would like to add a veteran quarterback to their roster. Licht, obviously, didn’t reveal possible targets, but the NFL Rumors Twitter account floated Ryan as one of the top three free agent quarterback options.
Teddy Bridgewater and Carson Wentz are two other top possibilities.
The Buccaneers signed Baker Mayfield in free agency. With Tom Brady retiring, Mayfield is expected to compete with Kyle Trask for the starting role behind center.
But the addition of Ryan would make sense for the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay capture back-to-back NFC South titles and a Super Bowl championship with Brady.
Before Brady arrived, the Buccaneers had three postseason berths in the previous 18 years. They made the playoffs three years in a row with Brady.
Going the veteran quarterback route again until a long-term solution behind center presents itself is certainly possible for the Buccaneers. That’s especially true when considering the NFC South is wide open.
The question of Ryan being the top choice, though, comes down to whether he can still play.
Ryan experienced his worst season in the NFL last year with the Indianapolis Colts. He led the team to a 4-7-1 mark as he threw only 14 touchdowns with 13 interceptions in 12 games. He also fumbled a career-high 15 times.
Because of his struggles, the Colts benched Ryan twice. In his last start, the team set a new record, blowing a 33-point halftime lead in a 39-36 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Ryan will turn 38 on May 17. The Buccaneers may pursue other younger options to compete with Mayfield and Trask.
Furthermore, at this point in his career, a quarterback competition may not interest Ryan.
But for Falcons fans, just the possibility of Ryan landing on a different team in the NFC South isn’t very appealing.
Would make sense for him… He gets about 30 million if he doesn’t retire I believe… get back closer to Atlanta where he makes his home.
I would love to see Matt Ryan in Tampa
I think there’s a lot of Falcons fans that feel that way. Once he’s done in the league and out in the real world, I think history will be pretty kind to him. There’s no reason for him to generate the kind of animosity that he does.