Falcons Looking To Extend Matt Ryan, According To A Report

The Atlanta Falcons are looking to extend quarterback Matt Ryan to a long-term deal, according to Jason La Canfora of NFL.com. Ryan still has two years left on his six-year, $72 million contract that he signed as a rookie. This past season Ryan had career highs in passing yards with 4,177 and touchdowns with 29. Ryan has had regular season success and led the Falcons to the playoffs, but he has yet to win a playoff game in his career.

Mike Florio brings up an interesting point to why the Falcons might be starting to work out an extension with Ryan at this time:

Ryan's case for a big contract would be considerably improved by a deep playoff run in 2012. With so many other quarterbacks operating at a high level (and winning playoff games, or at least scoring points in them), Ryan doesn't yet deserve a spot at the top of the quarterback pay grade.

Maybe that's why the Falcons are interested in doing something sooner rather than later. But that's exactly why Ryan should wait. With base salaries of $11.5 million and $10 million due in the next two seasons, along with whatever other back-end bells and whistles are in his top-five rookie deal, Ryan should only be willing to trade that in for a new contract if the Falcons are going to pay him based on potential in relation to other top-end quarterbacks, not results.

That does make sense for both sides; however the odds that an extension would be less per year than his rookie deal is probably not going to happen, and if it somehow is there is no way that Ryan would take a lesser deal when he has been performing well.

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