Negotiations with Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan may be more complicated than I want them to be

FADE IN: We see Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, sitting on a plush couch in his living room, March 1, 2019. Ryan is still living la vida loca after helping his team win its first Lombardi Trophy. The last month has been a whirlwind - parades, a trip to Disney World, and a newly recorded, less depressing Gatorade commercial. All is right in the world. Ryan glances down at his super cool smart phone, picking it up and clicking on his bank account app. He smiles as he remembers just how rich that contract extension made him. He thinks about how long it took to get the deal done, then he mutters, “Damn you, Kirk. Damn you.” FADE OUT. SCENE.

Do you remember October 12, 2015? It was a glorious day. It was the day after the Falcons won their week five game against the Washington Redskins. Robert Alford’s 59 yard pick six won the game in overtime. Franchise quarterback Matthew Thomas Ryan was under contract for the next three seasons. The losing quarterback that day? Kirk Freakin’ Cousins. The Falcons would go on to lose eight of their next eleven games and miss the playoffs. We’re two and a half years removed from that game now. Ryan only has a year left on his contract, and Cousins’ contract shenanigans are, at least on some level, making it harder to extend Ryan.

Here’s what Thomas Dimitroff had Ryan’s extension yesterday (credit to NFL.com’s Jeremy Bergman for the quote):

“I’m not concerned ... [l]ike I’ve said before, our focus is on Matt and getting him secured here for years to come. He wants to be with us, we want him to be here. As I’ve said, I don’t think it’s a complicated situation. I think it’s a significant situation. He’s a very important part to the organization. There’s no time frame on it right now.”

This annoys me. It probably shouldn’t, and I’m man enough to admit that, but it does. I want it done on principle. But I also want it done so the Falcons can be as competitive as possible during free agency and as they look to extend other franchise cornerstones. Ryan is unquestionably the franchise quarterback and he’s undoubtedly going to sign an extension. The only question is how much dancing will fill the space between now and that fateful day when Ryan does sign his extension.

Please tell me you feel my pain, Falcoholics. You’ll find me pouting in the corner, if you need me.