Atlanta Falcons make major change to Matt Ryan contract

Atlanta Falcons have just created some additional cap room for the 2022 season. They accomplished this by restructuring veteran quarterback Matt Ryan’s contract. According to NFL Network Ian Rapoport, the contract restructuring agreement between Ryan and the Falcons adds roughly 12 million worth of cap room.

“ The #Falcons have restructured the contract of QB Matt Ryan, source said, created $12M worth of cap room ahead of the new league year. Ryan, due $23.75M in cash in 2022, previously had a cap number of $48.66M,” wrote Rapoport via Twitter.

With the restructuring of Ryan’s contract, the Falcons have created roughly 16.2 million in team cap space. As usual with the NFL, Ryan still carries one of the largest cap hits on the team. His reworking pits him second on the team, just a few thousand behind two-time pro-bowl defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.

Falcons getting money back from Ridley due to year suspension

We now know how much Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley’s 1500 bet is going to cost him. Ridley has received a one-year suspension from the league after Roger Goodell found that the former All-Pro wideout was gambling on NFL games. And according to Tom Pelissero, Ridley will lose out on $11.16 million after being suspended for the entirety of the 2022 season.

” Massive news on the suspension of Calvin Ridley, whose contract will toll during his (at least) one-year suspension from the NFL for betting on games. He’ll now be under contract through 2023 and his $11.116 million salary will come off Atlanta’s books this season, ” wrote Pelissero via Twitter.

Ridley’s decision to bet on NFL games while being an active part of a franchise’s inner workings is a big no-no. Unfortunately for the former Alabama Crimson Tide star, not only will it cost him playing time, but a year’s worth of salary. And depending on when the NFL elects to reinstate him, he could lose out on even more than that.

As for the Falcons, the events of Monday are bittersweet for them for the upcoming season. On one hand, they lose Ridley’s service for the season or at least the opportunity to trade him for assets. But on the other hand, Ridley’s $11.16 million comes off the books, helping put the Falcons back under the NFL salary cap.