The NFL offseason is, once again, bringing about winds of change at the quarterback position. Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger have retired, while players like Aaron Rodgers, Ru sell Wilson and Deshaun Watson have seen their names involved in trade rumors consistently to begin the 2022 offseason.The latest addition to that list is Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.Atlanta coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot were asked about Ryan’s future at the 2022 NFL Combine. Both men made it clear that they expect to keep the veteran quarterback … unle s they get a “Godfather” offer for him.”We anticipate Matt being part of the team, but you don’t ever back yourself into a corner,” Smith said, per . “If someone gives you an offer you can’t refuse Matt knows how we feel about him. Matt has a lot of good football left in him.”The Falcons certainly like Ryan, who Fontenot called “a great profe sional.” So, why would they consider moving him? There are a few reasons.IYER: Falcons salary cap 2022First, the Falcons are dealing with a bit of Michael Thomas Hoodies Sweatshirts a salary cap crunch ahead of the 2022 NFL season. They are roughly $6.6 million over the cap as of March 4, , and Ryan will have a ma sive cap hit of over $48.6 million in 2022. That will take up just under a quarter of the team’s cap space.As Fontenot explained at the combine, that ma sive money deal, among others, will make it difficult for Atlanta to get under the cap while improving its roster and filling needs.” That’s the elephant in the room, right?” Fontenot said. “We have some big numbers a sociated with four players, particularly our quarterback. We have a big cap number, and all those players with the big cap numbers, it’s not their fault. They’re just good profe sionals that come in and do their jobs. I want to be clear with that.But it is a challenge. … I wouldnt say its a problem. I would say its a challenge.MORE:Are the Falcons a contender with Matt Ryan?The other question for the Falcons is related Steve Gleason T Shirts to their status in the NFC pecking order. Will they really be playoff contenders with Ryan at quarterback? Given recent history, probably not.The Falcons haven’t posted a winning season since 2017, the last time they made the NFL playoffs. Ryan has guided them to just a 25-39 record over their last four seasons and while he has mostly played well and posted solid stats, it hasn’t been enough to consistently win.The fault for that doesn’t fall squarely on Ryan. Part of the i sue is that his supporting cast, both on offense and defense, hasn’t been particularly strong. That said, it’s unlikely to be much stronger in 2022 given the team Alvin Kamara Hoodies Sweatshirts ‘s salary cap situation.The caveat here is that the NFC South appears to be wide open for the first time in quite a while. We don’t know who the Buccaneers will start at quarterback, the Saints no longer have Sean Payton and are facing a cap crunch of their own, and the cupboard is bare for the Panthers at the quarterback position as well.Smith and Fontenot may believe that with Ryan and a slightly improved roster the Falcons will have a chance to make the playoffs as a division winner or wild card team. Still, that’s not guaranteed.It’s also worth noting that Ryan will turn 37 in May and has two years remaining on his contract, including 2022. So, if the Falcons are skeptical about their chances to compete for a playoff berth in 2022, they could opt to trade Ryan and jumpstart a quick rebuild for the team.And depending on how the quarterback carousel plays out, Ryan could be one of the best pa sers available via trade.NFL MOCK DRAFT:How Aaron Rodgers, Ru sell Wilson impact Matt Ryan’s trade valueCurrently, it’s uncertain which quarterbacks will be on the move during the 2022 NFL offseason. Rodgers and Wilson are getting a majority of the buzz, along with Watson.The NFL is waiting on Rodgers’ decision, as he is the main domino to fall. That said, signs are pointing toward him returning to the Packers, though the mercurial quarterback has yet to make a firm decision.The same can be said of Wilson. He indicated that he would prefer to stay with the Seahawks during an appearance on TODAY, and coach Pete Carroll said the team has “no intention” of trading the veteran.So, what happens if both Rodgers and Wilson stay put? Well, the secondary quarterback market will become very strong. There are several teams that believe they are a quarterback away from competing for a playoff spot next season, and with the 2022 NFL Draft cla s being weaker than usual at quarterback, veterans are a hot commodity.All that’s to say that if the Broncos, Colts, Commanders and Steelers fail to land the biggest fish, they Tyrann Mathieu T Shirts could turn their attention to Ryan, who would upgrade their team with proven, productive, veteran talent.MORE: Will the Falcons trade Matt Ryan?Right now, it looks like the team is planning to keep Ryan. Or at least they “anticipate” doing so, as Smith said at the combine.Still, Ryan can’t be ruled out as a potential trade target. There are a lot of reasons that Atlanta should Cesar Ruiz Jersey at least consider parting with him to begin its rebuild in earnest.Even if they do keep Ryan though, the Falcons are taking a long, hard look at the quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft as they look for an eventual succe sor to the veteran.”We have formal interviews with several quarterbacks,” Fontenot said at the combine on Monday. “There’s a good group in this draft. There are different flavors and, at the appropriate time, we’ll add to that position. You can get in trouble if you reach and you don’t feel good about a certain position.”If the Falcons like either Kenny Pickett or Malik Willis enough, they could target the young pa sers with the No. 8 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. If not, they can add a potential-packed pa ser like Matt Corral, Sam Howell or Desmond Ridder on Day 2.…