Indianapolis Colts Make Surprising Declaration About QB Matt Ryan

The marriage between longtime Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and the Indianapolis Colts was a disaster in 2022, resulting in a shocking benching of the four-time Pro Bowler after seven starts. But that ugly first year apparently wasn't enough to put an emphatic end to his tenure with the franchise. According to Colts general manager Chris Ballard, Ryan's future with the team remains undecided.

Chris Ballard mum on Matt Ryan's future. https://t.co/bhXOSQasQG
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 1, 2023

The Colts had one of the league's worst passing games last year, but there's some evidence to suggest Ryan wasn't the problem. The 2016 MVP wildly outperformed backups Sam Ehlinger and Nick Foles in net yards per passing attempt (5.55 to 4.23 and 3.52) and interception rate (2.8% to 3.0% and 9.5%). The fact that Ryan's miserable numbers couldn't even be approached by his replacements may indicate the Colts have deeper issues on their roster as far as scheme and surrounding talent go.

Ryan sports a $35.2 million cap number for the 2023 season, which is more than most teams are willing to pay for middling quarterback play. The Colts can save over $17 million by cutting him, but finding an upgrade at that price may be easier said than done. If 2022 is any indication, starting a young quarterback on this offense would be tantamount to throwing him to the wolves. Letting Ryan gut out another season might not be a bad idea if it means a rookie can sit on the bench while the Colts rebuild their roster.