Report: Matt Ryan Was Informed by Falcons of Deshaun Watson Trade Pursuit

The Atlanta Falcons reportedly informed Matt Ryan of their plan to pursue Deshaun Watson last week.

ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted, in relaying a report from colleague Chris Mortensen, the "lines of communication have been kept open" between the two sides as the Falcons compete to land Watson.

The Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns have met with Watson to pitch the three-time Pro Bowler on joining their franchise. Watson has a no-trade clause in his contract, so he will have some level of power in choosing his next destination. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported a decision could come as soon as Wednesday.

Trade talks for Watson have significantly intensified since a Texas grand jury declined to indict the quarterback on sexual assault or misconduct charges on Friday. Twenty-two women are still suing Watson in civil court. The NFL is also conducting its own investigation under its personal conduct policy.

It's possible Watson faces a suspension—even without criminal proceedings moving forward. The teams speaking to the quarterback are seemingly comfortable with the idea of possible punishment from the league, along with the significant public backlash that is bound to come from fans upset over the serious allegations made against Watson.

Ryan has been the Falcons' quarterback since 2008, when he was drafted to replace Michael Vick, who was serving a prison sentence after being found guilty of running a dog-fighting ring. He has started 222 games under center in the 14 years since, rewriting the Falcons quarterback record book while providing consistently steady play.

The peak of Ryan's Falcons tenure came in 2016, when he won the NFL MVP and led the franchise to its second Super Bowl appearance. 

If the Falcons can't land Watson, it's likely Ryan will remain their starting quarterback in 2022. Michael Rothstein of ESPN reported the two sides had agreed to a restructured contract to lower Ryan's 2022 cap number, but that deal has not been signed. Should Watson go in another direction, that agreement will almost certainly go into place.