Matt Ryan Contract Talks Should Pick Up Soon

Even contract negotiations can apparently cry wolf.

We've been hearing about the Falcons making headway and/or closing in on a deal with Matt Ryan for months now, and each time it happens, we wait a month before hearing the same thing again. That's not to say there's anything to be concerned about, because negotiations take time, particularly with a franchise quarterback.

The latest report has the talks "casual" right now, more or less just hand-holding and some light petting. Things are expected to heat up after July 4, for reasons that are not made explicit because it's ProFootballTalk. My guess is that there's going to be a little more urgency coming into training camp. It's also possible that there's not any real urgency, and we'll be hearing about talks heating up in August once we get past July 4.

Ultimately, the Falcons want to lock Matt Ryan up for the long haul, considering he's the best quarterback in team history and got the Falcons within a couple of plays of a Super Bowl just a year ago. Ryan would like a fat new contract. Something is going to get done.

At this point, believe it when it happens.