Jaw-dropping stat shows quarterback parity across NFL

The NFL quarterback carousel has been one of the biggest stories of the offseason. But a new, jaw-dropping stat shows just how much parity there’s been across the league.

Between 2006 and 2016, 29 quarterbacks went in the first round of the NFL Draft. Not one of those 29 quarterbacks are with the team that drafted them, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.

It’s pretty crazy that between 2006-2016 there were 29 QBs taken in the first round and exactly zero of them are still with their original team.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 21, 2022

That stat came out after the Atlanta Falcons traded Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts on Monday. The Falcons drafted Ryan out of Boston College No. 3 overall in the 2008 draft, and he was the last remaining quarterback from that group with his original team. Cam Newton played with the Carolina Panthers last season, but entered free agency this offseason.

Falcons make surprise move, trade veteran quarterback Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan, who had spent his entire NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons, is being traded to the Indianapolis Colts for a third-round pick, according to Pat McAfee of The Pat McAfee Show. The news comes shortly after Jay Glazer of FOX Sports and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that the two teams were working to agree on a deal as soon as Monday.

Joining NFL Now on Monday afternoon, Rapoport spoke about Ryan and the possibility of him making the move to Indianapolis – also pointing out that the Falcons would have to pay the quarterback a large amount of money if he was still on their roster come later Monday afternoon.

“We are going to get some Matt Ryan news today, at least before 4 p.m. – potentially sooner,” Rapoport said. “$7.5 million is due is he’s on the [Falcons] roster after 4 p.m. today, so we are going to learn if Matt Ryan is still going to be the quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons or if all of those trade calls that the Falcons have been getting over the last couple of days, are they all going to result in a trade?

“Sources say the Indianapolis Colts have emerged as the most likely landing spot for Matt Ryan. Nothing is done as of this very minute, but the Colts do appear to be the landing spot if something is done.”

Ryan – who was selected No. 3 overall by Atlanta in the 2008 NFL Draft – has thrown for 59,735 yards, 367 touchdowns and 170 interceptions over the course of his NFL career. He was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year in 2016.