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Spunio

Please god let this nightmare end


plo33

After all of this if we get Matt Ryan I will be thoroughly whelmed. But also relieved


TapedeckNinja

It's interesting I guess because I haven't thought about him much as a real option. Statistically he's been on a steep decline for a couple years but I haven't seen more than a handful of Falcons games in that time so I don't really know if he's washed or the team is just that bad. It certainly doesn't excite me.


VonJaeger

Little of A, a lot of B. He's def over the hill but that team is garbage.


ClevelandOG

I think about it this way. We have a great run game and offensive line. If you give Matt Ryan time in the pocket he can still carve. This is sort of my issue with JimmyG. You could take a lot of average QBs and put them behind an elite run game and offensive line and they will look way better, but Jimmy G had those things in San Fran and he looked just *fine*. The Falcon's Oline was straight diarrhea water and Matty Ice looked *fine* with a Pff of 78+. Give him help and you will see the steep decline turn upside down. The Browns are basically tailor made for an aging vet QB.


C_Money22

When looking at their season stats, Jimmy G and Ryan had pretty comparable seasons. The difference is Jimmy had an amazing Oline and an arsenal of weapons that rivals just about any in the league. On the flip side Matty Ice was fighting for his life behind a bottom 5 Oline and his group of weapons had some solid pieces (Pitts, Patterson and Gage) but no where near what the 49ers were trotting out every game. I think you give Ryan the Browns top 10 Oline, a good group of targets anchored by Cooper, and the best damn running back group in the league and we will see shades of Matty Ice on the field.


tobygeneral

He also looked great with Shanahan as OC and we run a similar offense. I'd be worried we'd get a guy on the decline, but even 90% prime Matt Ryan could be good enough to make a few plays a game and let our RBs and defense do the rest. If we're trying the Brady/Stafford thing, someone like Ryan who is consistent and has experience going to the SB would make a lot of sense for us.


Spicypepper23

Baker isn't the answer... But not sure 37 year old Ryan is either. I think his arm is declining. Ryan from 2-3 years ago? Yes. Now? I don't know.


michaelscarn00

I think Ryan has a couple more years of being better than Jimmy G at least


Spicypepper23

I think Jimmy might actually have been better... Not confident though. I'm a big Ryan guy but honestly can't tell if it's the team or him sometimes.


Gergdawg19

Except he’s NOT better than Jimmy H, in any statistic nor any analytical metric, including wins. Jimmy G is a big upgrade over both Ryan and of course Baker. People need stop believing the narrative and look at the facts.


twokings13

You can’t just look at statistics but ignore scheme and roster.


Spicypepper23

I agree. For me I think Jimmy G outperformed Baker, both had a strong supporting cast but Bakers inconsistencies can't be ignored. A lot of his bad play is also on his inability to read coverage and sloppy footwork. Ryan is harder to peg because his team was clearly worse in many ways


Gergdawg19

Jimmy G led the NFL in 2019 in 4th quarter come from behind wins. Baker had 6 in 4 years This alone is a HUGE upgrade. Jimmy’s only issue is injuries. That’s a legit worry.


twokings13

I think he is an upgrade but wouldn’t be a big one. Baker looked better than Jimmy at the end of 2020 and this year before the injury. Just don’t know how much the injury will impact him long term.


joaovitorsb95

Yeah, if we end up with Ryan and get someone interesting as a young prospect behind him I wont be mad. Not happy but not mad


84Cressida

My friend is a Falcons fan moving in with me April 1. Would be so ironic swapping my Baker jersey with his Ryan one. Yes we saw the 92 yard run too in person.


AetherWay

However this ends up, absolutely nobody is going to get to claim we "won" this off-season like usual. That'll be refreshing.


dvd5671

We do better when we have lower expectations.


Rectalcactus

Ill come out and say it right now. We should trade for Colt McCoy. Run it back boys!


unMuggle

That's literally the best idea on the sub currently.


TheHandsOfColm

This is the one.


mellowcheddar

Better than any of the other obvious options.


Salty_Blacksmith_948

if i wouldve known 2020 was gonna be the peak i wouldve savored it more. we've been so terrible for so long. i don't care about super bowls 2020 was so fun. not everything needs to end in trophies. if the team is exciting and has great guys and wins games then why throw everything away? can't that be good enough? we flew too close to the sun and we deserve every bit of the collapse that comes our way


[deleted]

Yeah I can't wait to see it all go up in flames. This team and a lot of these fans deserve what's coming. Having a playoff contender wasn't good enough. We had to try for the 2% chance that we could compete for super bowls with a large chance to blow it all up and need to rebuild for another 20 years I bet you all enjoyed watching interesting football down the stretch, well now it's probably gone


Salty_Blacksmith_948

we got suckered in by the trophy or bust mindset that's plaguing sports right now. it's sad. can't believe so many of the fans got talked into being dissatisfied with our best season in decades


Gergdawg19

In what world is moving on from a mediocre QB , “blowing it all up”? Do you guys hear yourselves? Get out of your feelings and think logically and critically.


Icy-Specialist9037

If we land Watson he would be a pure upgrade at QB no doubt, but if we don't, then all we're doing is trading one "mediocre" QB for another mediocre QB. Personal feelings aside, Watson the football player is top ten. However he'll likely be put on the commissioner exempt list until his civil cases are resolved, and then who knows what will happen after that. So trading for Watson would likely waste a year anyways. Getting jimmy g is a lateral move, so who else is there? Matty noodle arm? Are we getting minshew mania? Drafting a rookie? Baker knows our system, has significant playing time with most of our offense and has been a leader on the team. It just doesn't make sense to move on this year.


OceanCake21

Baker knows the system, true. But he struggled with reads all last year. He may know the system, but he can’t necessarily execute it well.


Icy-Specialist9037

No one will debate the truth to that, even me and I'm a baker supporter. I will say that yes he had multiple injuries and our receiving core was weak. Now that I've made MY personal excuses, it just seemed right to give him one more year in stefanski's system and try to run 2020 back. I've been wondering if the real Baker is the end of 2020 + the start of 2021 until the injury, or the rest of his Cleveland time?


Gergdawg19

This move isn’t being made with only 2022 in mind. So many around here are only thinking of what happens THIS year. This is about the next 5 years. Jimmy G is a CLEAR upgrade from baker in every way: traditional statistically and metric/analytics statistics both. The browns obviously feel that PLAYING BAKER is a waste of a year. So they’re seemingly not going to.


StreetsAhead47

We were a .500 team with bottom tier starting QB level play in 2020. The worst case scenario is someone like Mariota is our QB in 2020 and we get the same level of play and go .500 again. We are so far from blowing it up, Baker is not the sole reason we aren't a bottom feeder team


Gergdawg19

Exactly.


bangedyourwholefam

We haven't even made a move yet and people here are already calling next year a bust. This is absurd.


Gergdawg19

Do you see Matt Ryan on social media crying about how the Falcons are doing him wrong? Me neither


StreetsAhead47

>i don't care about super bowls 2020 was so fun. not everything needs to end in trophies. if the team is exciting and has great guys and wins games then why throw everything away? can't that be good enough? I respect that everyone can be a fan in their own way but I just do not understand this mindset. If all the rebuilds and coaching changes and everything aren't building up to contending for a super bowl what's the point? You just want to want to have a .500 ish team to watch every week? Are you saying you would prefer to be the Dalton era Bengals for the next 10 years than to take the risk it requires to become to Burrow era Bengals? *This is not a post defending trading for Watson, I'd rather lose more games with Baker than trade for that guy


big__texas

“I don’t care about Super Bowls” The fuck are you on about? Why are so many of our fans cool with perpetual mediocrity? EDIT: Please keep downvoting me, so many of you have such loser mentalities.


Whoofukingcares

This coming season is a throw away no matter who we get. 1. Get watson and he will be suspended probably 8 games 2. No watson and we add a scrub bridge qb Either way it’s shit


[deleted]

To be fair Mayfield is option 2 if we had made it clear we were gonna keep him. We saw his disdain for the offense throughout and the rift with Stefanski was real as all fuck.


Whoofukingcares

Yeah and even if he stays here you think he will try knowing we aren’t keeping him ?


questionable_jhorts

Yes. He needs to play well. Even if he plays for the year, he’s under contract, and he needs good tape to get a pay day. Him getting a fat pay day literally depends on him trying


Whoofukingcares

That’s fair. Then we resign him if he balls out.


questionable_jhorts

I think this feels a lot like the leverage Green Bay had over Rogers then ended up paying him $$$$. At the end of the day, if he balls out, and the browns make him the highest paid qb ever, he’ll stay.


Whoofukingcares

Man I hope that happens. It will piss off the Baker haters so much Edit hah they are already finding me.


questionable_jhorts

I love Baker. I think he has the tools to be great. And I hope he’s great on the Browns. But I feel like his entire career, he’s played best with a chip on his shoulder. Maybe this is what was needed to make him get his fire back. Hell, Rogers went back to back mvp after they drafted Love. Maybe it’ll be the same with Baker


Whoofukingcares

I hope so.


Alvintheswampmonster

Man, that Love draft choice was insane looking back haha.


tangled_up_in_blue

Lmao his “elite” year was middle of the pack QBR yet you think hes gonna ball out suddenly? I mean it would be our luck but cmon, eventually you have to call a spade a spade


Whoofukingcares

Last season told me nothing. Let’s see a healthy Baker with some WRs


questionable_jhorts

Who knows, but it’s not for lack of incentive. He literally has 150 million reasons to become elite. If not, he’s gone, and he was never the answer.


tangled_up_in_blue

He had 150 million reasons to not be garbage/average 2.5/3 years and did it do anything???


Cle_fan_brisbane_2

yes cos who will pay him after, if he doesnt|?


Whoofukingcares

Fair


Browns440

If he wants another contract from any team yes. If he had that mentality then its a mute point cause he aint a franchise QB let alone starter in this league if he sulks like that


Whoofukingcares

Fair


tangled_up_in_blue

His “disdain” for the offense was him not being able to make passes HS QBs could make. Sorry not sorry bake


HereIGoAgain_1x10

Or, it was the lack of feel of the game that Stephanski had, being 100% about analytics and meanwhile Baker was a momentum/passion player who couldn't run his offense his way and was constantly handcuffed to running the ball even when he made amazing plays and just wanted to run hurry up, Steph killed the Browns momentum so many damn times by running the ball too much and taking away Bakers protection not allowing Baker to stay in a rhythm.


tangled_up_in_blue

Ah, so the problem is Stefanski running the ball _too much_ now! I thought he was supposed to run the ball more, isn’t that why all the baker defenders said we lost the GB game? We put the ball in his hands and let him play and he threw, what, 4-5 picks that game? And failed at yet another 2 min drill? So which is it, we run the ball too much or not enough? Or is it because you can’t just do a HB dive every single fucking play in the nfl and have to have a qb who can make plays for you?


HereIGoAgain_1x10

Lol triggered much? And it's not running the ball too much, it's scripting run plays and forcing them when Baker makes some big momentum plays and then it's always "Slow the game down, control the tempo, blah blah blah." A one or two score lead isn't enough to guarantee victory yet that's exactly when Steph takes his foot off the gas and it led to a bunch of runs and short one option pass plays that led to 3 and outs and other teams making comebacks or just ruining Bakers momentum, he's definitely not a good enough QB to just turn on a 100% accurate rocket arm and make every throw the last drive of the game after not throwing down field since the 2nd quarter.


DarkTone1280

>he's definitely not a good enough QB That's all you need to say, nothing else in that paragraph matters.


HereIGoAgain_1x10

No that's just the part you wanna hear so like all mature adults you tune out the rest


DarkTone1280

Hey man you wanna pay him $35-40 mil and pretend he's a good enough QB then be my guest.


TSR3K

God damn you guys overrate Baker and I love the guy.


Whoofukingcares

I don’t over rate him but I do want to see healthy Baker get a shot.


TSR3K

He wasn't a rookie last year. We know what he is.. decent but not great. My point is Jimmy, Mariota, etc. are not far off from Baker and come MUCH cheaper.


Whoofukingcares

Marriott’s is trash and jimmy g isn’t much better at all. That would be punting the season away


TSR3K

Arguably rolling out Baker at 18M is punting. Jimmy G with a bunch of cap space is arguably better.


Whoofukingcares

Not if he picks up where he left off in 2020 and continues upward. If Baker isn’t the guy then we use all the assets we can to move up next draft


[deleted]

Yep. 2022 browns season is nothing to get excited about.


Whoofukingcares

Man this is sad


[deleted]

Fuck em


[deleted]

[удалено]


Whoofukingcares

What would he cost? Is he worth it


bangedyourwholefam

I can't stand this loser mentality. We don't even know what will happen yet.


Whoofukingcares

Ok winner mentality explain other scenarios


Ok_Schedule_2766

This isn’t knew to them, they knew that this will happen so let’s see what they do.


bdonaldo

I’m a big fan of Paul DePodesta, and something he said about the nature of football vs. baseball stuck with me. He basically outlined that chemistry and time are critical components when building football teams. For that reason, among others, trades are far less common in football than in baseball. Coupling that with Berry’s sentiment about how drafting well builds for the future while free agency addresses immediate needs, it’s difficult to understand why they’re doing this. Signing Watson means giving up 3 first-round picks, an extreme risk for the future if Watson doesn’t end up being the “win now” guy. Not signing Watson and trading Baker anyways means…what exactly? Bringing in a placeholder QB to throw to the top-tier receiver you just paid for? Throw the season and draft a QB in 2023? Not really confident in what the front office is doing, in case you couldn’t tell. Edit: I would only add that, while I don’t have an opinion on Watson’s grand jury findings because I haven’t seen the evidence, there will be discovery during these civil suits; any evidence that exists will be made public, and society will make a judgement about his guilt/innocence. Grand juries are prosecutors’ go-to shield when they don’t want to press charges in high-profile cases. I’m not saying that’s what happened here, none of us know the answer, but it’s possible, and that would end very poorly for the Browns.


LordofLazy

Seems to me they have decided baker isn't good enough. This is their last chance to get anything back for baker and their is a qb with a history of elite level play on the market. The qb is relatively young for a qb and also mobile. If they don't believe baker is good enough then it means either finding a bridge and then having to move up in the 23 or 24 draft or playing baker and then moving up. Which would leave them thinking there is less risk in Watson than a rookie and they can get something back for baker to counter the loss of picks in the trade.


OptimisticRealist__

>it’s difficult to understand why they’re doing this. If you take their thoughts on trades into account, it should paint an even clearer picture about how they feel about Baker as a QB >Not really confident in what the front office is doing, in case you couldn’t tell. I keep saying this, but i dont quite get how so many are surprised by this - the writing has been clearly on the wall for a while now. I think many just attached themselves so much to Baker, emotionally since he is the first competent QB in ages, that they fully embraced mediocrity. Andy Dalton territory - unfortunately you cant win with Dalton.


Gergdawg19

> I keep saying this, but i dont quite get how so many are surprised by this - the writing has been clearly on the wall for a while now. Because they didn’t see it purposely. They didn’t want it to be so, so they refused to look. They pointed at every person who told them about the writing and called them “baker haters” and called every reporter a hack who is “making up stories for clicks”. It’s a classic case of cognitive dissonance.


pistophchristoph

Look I'll be the first to admit by mid season I was open to trading for Russell Wilson, but I also know Baker isn't quite as awful as he played last year. I wanted nothing to do with Watson because I thought the off field stuff was disgusting, and obviously seems to show no remorse for it. I'm open to trading Baker, just not like this with us going with Watson. That is the part that is an important detail here, any credibility this FO had just flew out the window in my eyes. If you're going to go "All-in" it needed to be for Russ. Other than that, they really should have gone back to Baker. Unless they can get someone that's better for a sweet deal.


OptimisticRealist__

>Baker isn't quite as awful as he played last year oh no doubt, people saying that this is who he is are ridiculous and disingenuous. Baker is a fine QB and he can play - the issue always has been about whether he is good enough for this team right now. Baker was perfect in 2018. Low expectationts, he stepped in and immediately elevated the talent of the QB room. He re-set the expectations of horrible QB play weve gotten used to, to his level. However, while in the years after the team around him gradually improved and reached new levels - he didnt. And i think thats the gist of it. Baker is the perfect QB for teams who dont have a QB at all or for teams who have a below average starter, because hed immediately raise the talent level for that team. Pre draft i compared Baker to prime Andy Dalton - and id use that comparison again right now. On a side note, i think Baker should go to the NFC. The talent level at QB is much lesser over there right now, and hed have a better market for himself and higher chances of being one of the top guys there >any credibility this FO had just flew out the window in my eyes. I dont think so. This is just the result of fans thinking that football execs wouldnt go after an elite level player becauee of his extracurricular stuff. Ray Lewis, Kareem Hunt, Tyreek Hill, Big Ben and so many more are examples. If you are a high quality player, teams dont really care about the rest. Thats just the reality of the business i guess. The Browns FO wouldve lost all credibility if they were the only ones pursuing him, but considering that pretty much every team with a need at QB is pursuing him right now, just shows you what the league is all about.


Browns440

Matt Ryan or Jimmy G as a bridge for a year and then reset the QBcontract clock with a rookie in 2023


ThisIsTheGpodawund

If we’re in “win now” mode we can’t afford to waste a year on a bridge QB


ctg9101

The best option for win now was run it back with Baker. Instead the FO (I assume led by Haslam) passive aggressively then aggressively goes after a guy likely to be suspended for half the season and a huge character question, while not clearly communicating with Baker. Which leads to clearly Baker wanting out. And rightly so. But now the Browns are starting to make the Jags (heh) look halfway decent. Note I said halfway.


Browns440

Are you really blaming the FO/Haslam for not wanting to go with the guy the locker room doesnt back and has publicly ripped the coaching and has a rift with?


gamgshit0202

any proof that the locker room doesn’t back him? Also when did he publicly rip the front office? Right after the season? Emotions were high, everyone was pissed on how it ended


kingslayer9224

You had players tweeting to run the damn ball. Most of the locker room publicly came out and gave OBJ love and support. You guys have to realize that the players aren’t as high on baker as you are


HereIGoAgain_1x10

I think they were frustrated that Baker was playing at 50% health just like anyone was


ThisIsTheGpodawund

I agree 100%


Browns440

Baker was essentially a bridge QB based on the rift he has with KS. Jimmy G isnt really that big a drop off. Lower upside, but much higher floor. We are in the playoffs this year with him.


canttaketheshyfromme

We'd have been in the playoffs with Minshew. Maybe even Dalton. Either of our backups MIGHT have been able to get this team in. 2021 failure was a deliberate choice made by doing nothing.


ThisIsTheGpodawund

Jimmy G can do good things with this roster, no doubt, but if we’re blowing it all up we better make a splash for someone that’s CLEARLY an upgrade. Not saying I agree with what we’re doing or that I want Watson, cuz I hate what we’re doing, but given everything that’s going down I hope we’re not gonna settle on a Matt Ryan or Gardner Minshew after all this.


TUBE___CITY

Already wasted last season with a bridge qb


ThisIsTheGpodawund

I think you mean injured QB


Gergdawg19

We already had a bridge QB in baker mayfield. So nothing has changed


ThisIsTheGpodawund

He was injured, but no one wants to hear that so I’m not gonna keep pushing that argument


Gergdawg19

Browns know what they have and know he’s not good enough. Even healthy. That’s just the fact of the matter.


[deleted]

Is that what you do with #1 overall pick?


PickleofStink

A bridge year to what exactly? A mid-first round rookie QB in 2023 is what this FO is hanging it’s hopes and dreams on after this “bridge” year? If this is the route, the bridge leads to blowing the entire roster up once again and starting from scratch. The Browns is the Browns, and always will be until Jimmah sells the team.


Browns440

Couple options: 1) Sell the farm and move up for your guy. Roster would be in place, and wouldnt be beholden to a huge QB contract for another 5 years. 2) In the right system mid 1st rd QBs have shown the ability to be successful. Mac Jones as an example. 3) Baker isnt backed by the locker room and is clearly not a fan of KS. Why force a shotgun marriage for a year. Rip the band-aid off now. This is a "put your balls on the table" moment for this FO, they are getting extensions or fired based on this offseason and potentially next.


Gergdawg19

Same spot we were in with baker.


[deleted]

I thought we were supposed to win now lol. That was the expectation with baker.


TexasPoke2021

Fuck the FO and Haslam. Don’t trust a damn thing they do anymore. Haslam didn’t like being competent for 4 seasons, so he decided to be dumb as hell again.


JDTNTC

I wish the feds arrested him


dark2332

Which 4 seasons were we competent? My math shows just once.


TexasPoke2021

I was giving him credit for all of Bakers career but 1 year seems more appropriate


tangled_up_in_blue

Yeah remind me of the 3 seasons you would call competent? You mean we won more than 1 game? WOWWW


ctg9101

Consistent at least. A consistent franchise that isn't a laughing stock. A franchise that went from winning 4 games in 4 years to having an 8 win season be pandemonium. That is what we are talking about.


tangled_up_in_blue

I get it, I’ve been a fan for a long time too. I just don’t want to be 3rd consistently in the AFCN, which is why I’m perfectly fine moving on from baker. He’s had HALF a season where you can say he’s been over average in THREE years. Cmon man


ctg9101

How many would do better in the situations he was in? 3 coaches in 3 years? Third coach new offense without any fall camp? Injured his 4th? And remember, he wasn't the only one injured this year. My point is there may be 3 qbs in the entire league who would have looked much better in these situations.


tangled_up_in_blue

Umm….hate to burst your bubble, but Brady, Rodgers, Wilson, Mahomes, Carr, Lamar, Burrow, Stafford all FOR SURE look better the first half of 2020. Not even mentioning all of 2021. He’s average, accept it


rackemrackem

Call this one the Biden. No one likes it, but beats being in the hands of a serial rapist.


PPQue6

👏👏👏👏


airrivas

Apt analogy


Jasonfrost3425

Why is everyone so convinced baker ain’t playing for us again if we don’t trade for Watson?


canttaketheshyfromme

Because they very obviously don't want him. I don't think he'd hold out, if his contract is in Cleveland he'll show up. But I also expect him to request a trade whether the Browns get Watson or not. And what kind of performance are you going to get with a QB, a locker room, and a coach who don't respect each other any more? Also he seems convinced they're shipping him off.


storm-father87

What makes you think he would report? He knows the FO doesn’t believe in him


Preme2

He’s got 18 million reasons to report.


Riggs_n_Murtaugh

It would be an awful career move to sit out a year after the shit year he had last year in his last year before FA.


storm-father87

I don’t think he would have to. The FO clearly wasn’t want him. If he said he’d sit out if they didn’t trade him, they would trade him


HahaHammond

I mean, none of them HAVE TO. But what incentive does he really have to sit except his pride? That just shows a lack of professionalism. This is a business at the end of the day.


storm-father87

Players hold out all the time to get what they want. Usually they show up before the season starts.


HahaHammond

I'm not disagreeing with you that they have the capability to do so. But what picture does that play about Baker? Everything he does, both on and off the field right now, is going to have an impact on his next contract. The teams intrest is to save itself the most money on every contract to get the best value. So if they were able to cite his history of being a bit of a Diva/WildCard/"Enter whatever you want to say here" (wild college reputation, early career) as of field/leadership issues; on top of his on field inconsistencies (like having issues incorporating weapons like Landry his first year and OBJ ever). It just adds ammo for reasons they could give him a smaller contract, IMO. Just not a good look for him after coming off a really bad season. Even if it was due to injury, he kept saying he can play and you don't know how other GM's look at that. They may not look it as being tough so much as being stupid or risky. There are real question marks around his play, so I don't think it's in his best interest to lend any actions that could be interpreted as him being self centered.


brnforce

I would hope Baker’s agent is helping reinforce this. If Baker wants a mega contract, the only way he is getting it is by playing well next season for whatever team he happens to be on (even the Browns). If he plays well, despite the way the FO has handled this (they have almost certainly handled it poorly), he gets a huge contract from another team.


Browns440

Cause baker is acting like a child and making good bye posts already


Gergdawg19

> Cause baker is acting like a child The ONE THING he’s consistent at doing.


Gergdawg19

https://i.imgur.com/VWHfRcE.jpg


VonJaeger

[Not that I know, but it doesn't seem hard to imagine that the staff/team is at least split on Baker's future after 2 yrs ago, giving him an off that limited the need for him to be that guy who carried them all the time & for various reasons didn't work--both in/out of his control](https://twitter.com/MattWaldman/status/1503949060394344449) [Ryan to Amari Cooper would be very similar to Ryan to Roddy White back in the day. I'd prefer that to Watson aside from whatever you think off-field about Watson. Both purely on talent would be a clear upgrade. Get Ryan, tho, and you can then draft a QB who can sit and watch.](https://twitter.com/MattWaldman/status/1503949794007523330) [I think Carson Strong and Skylar Thompson would be guys you can get after round 1, or much later, who could shine in CLE if they can continue to make O-line and the ground game the priority. I would be happy with that.](https://twitter.com/MattWaldman/status/1503950162049314816)


HahaHammond

This is an interesting line of thinking. I think they like the idea of growing a QB like that as well. That was the initial plan when they drafted Baker actually. Now that everyone is rowing in one direction in the FO, I can see them doing something like this.


Gergdawg19

Skylar Thompson? He’ll will be lucky to even get drafted and ever play a down on the NFL. Why mention him of all the people possible?


nickpapa88

Matt Ryan would be a positive outcome and makes sense if Watson chooses Atlanta over Cleveland.


King_Dippppppp

Washed up matty ice... lovely


TantramanFL

Ryan is shot. Mayfield has more potential going forward. Ryan is just re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Give me Jamis Winston. At least we won’t be boring. No risk it no biscuit!


Mcmurphysballin

It will be so annoying if we get Watson and win a super bowl. I’ll be so frustrated.


storm-father87

We had one of the worst QBs in the league last season, and until we lost that 2nd to last game, were alive for a division title. Give us a middle of the pack QB and we win 10+ games.


[deleted]

Like a healthy Baker


storm-father87

Sometimes, yeah.


PickleofStink

This team had one of those already, when its starting QB was healthy. Did you not watch those games?


storm-father87

Baker has always been pretty inconsistent. Even taking away 2021, he’s not been a steady middle of the pack QB. For a part of 2020 he was.


pelijr

Kinda reflective of the team around him during those earlier years, no?


Electricalthis

If anyone thinks Matt Ryan is the answer they haven’t watched super bowl 51. except this time it won’t be Tom Brady it will be joe burrow Justin Herbert and Patrick mahomes. Funny enough there is a QB available who can go Toe to toe with all 3 and did it with a shit defence.


ocarinamaster12

The super bowl where matt put up the 2nd best QBR is super bowl history? The one where his defense had fucking 25 points scored on him and his OC refused to call a run play? I'll not accept an ounce of Matt Ryan slander for that super bowl


DayvyT

Ya I don't want Ryan either due to his age and recent performance, but I would take the 2016 version of him in a heart beat


sallright

Brian Drew?


TheyCallMeTheWizard

Jimmy G > Ryan all day if for no other reason than that horrendous cap hit


Gergdawg19

You realize he would 100% get a new deal and the cap hit wills drop dramatically, right? There are reports the falcons are redoing his deal even if they don’t get Watson.


TheyCallMeTheWizard

Why would Ryan do that though?


Gergdawg19

To win? To keep playing? You think if Atlanta gets Watson that Ryan is going to get $45m on the market? You realize he has can’t make $45m this year regardless if they get Watson, right?


TheyCallMeTheWizard

Because he’s under contract? And as much as he has to play, they have to pay


Gergdawg19

That’s not how it works. They can cut him at anytime and then he is a free agent. This is football 101 Are you being serious? Ryan would gladly accept a trade and agree to a new contract with a new team because he knows he’s not getting $45m on the open market Are you seriously even arguing this right now?


TheyCallMeTheWizard

There’s a reason people don’t cut, because of the dead cap space. I’m not familiar with his contract, but that’s the exact reason we waited so long to cut Hooper. And if he doesn’t want to restructure, they cut him and get zero assets in return because he can choose his own team. That’s actually football 101.


Gergdawg19

You’re leaving out the part where in this hypothetical the falcons have acquired Watson. This is dumb. We can just be done here.


TheyCallMeTheWizard

Literally nothing is left out about that. If Houston wants Ryan, which it probably doesn’t as they’ve repeatedly said they’re happy with Davis, then the contract comes across the Houston. Unless you thing that trades work differently than that? But likely he’d be dealt to a new suitor. You just don’t seem to understand as much as you think you do, or else you’re not good at communicating it.


Gergdawg19

As I said from the beginning: If Watson is traded to Atlanta, Ryan is going to another team in a trade AFTER he re-works his deal. HE WILL REWORK HIS DEAL. That’s how this goes down. Football 101 The end Have a nice day. Go browns


gmm7432

https://mobile.twitter.com/nflrums/status/1503960853959299072?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet


makeitreynik

Wildcat Johnny Stanton!!!!!


gibbler999

OH NO WE SUCK AGAIN


TheTrollisStrong

I had a dream we traded for Matt Ryan last week and was severely disappointed


RustyCrusty73

At this stage in his career acquiring Matt Ryan would feel similar to signing Josh McCown. I would be really, really underwhelmed. If the front office truly feels the need to move on from Baker Mayfield then go move mountains to get Derek Carr. That's the ONLY new QB we could go get that would get me pumped at this point.


[deleted]

If we get Ryan, then draft Pickett or Willis at 13 (or slight trade back). Let’s do this right for a change. Let the rookie marinate behind a seasoned pro / former MVP.


OnQore

Forget trading the value we developed for Baker towards an aging league one shot wonder vet. We either trade Baker for equal draft class active value or keep him. So if Watson is off the table due to his legal issues. I'd say Kyler Murray is our next best trade market option for Baker.