Matt Ryan is already the most accomplished quarterback in franchise history. He took the Falcons to their second-ever Super Bowl; he has thrown for 51,186 yards with 321 touchdowns and 147 interceptions, and he is only Falcons player to ever win an NFL MVP Award.
That final superlative is why it's a bit funny to find Ryan on Adam Schein's list of dark-horse MVP candidates for NFL.com, but he at least has some humor and is willing to admit such.
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"OK, admittedly, this is the least-bold name on the list -- by far," Schein writes. "After all, Ryan already has an MVP under his belt.
"Still, the Ice Man never gets proper credit for being awesome. He's rarely brought up in conversations about the game's top signal-callers. And that's just wrong. Frankly, Ryan would be listed much higher on here if I felt more confident about the Falcons' defense or head coach, as this award is largely dependent on team success.
"But I think Ryan will put up monster numbers this season with the plethora of weapons he has at his disposal. Todd Gurley is a significant upgrade over Devonta Freeman. Julio Jones remains a force of nature. Calvin Ridley is a great No. 2. And trade acquisition Hayden Hurst gives Ryan a fine weapon up the seam. Get ready for some fireworks in Atlanta."
In his first season reuniting with offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, Ryan led the league with 408 completions, and he threw for 4,466 yards with 26 touchdowns and 14 interceptions despite missing one game. Throughout his career, Ryan has shown a tendency to take a step forward in his second season working with an offensive coordinator, and he once again has plenty of pieces around him to work with.
Schein might in fact be on to something here.
To see the rest of his list of dark-horse MVP candidates, click here.
Here are some other articles for Falcons fans to check out today:
ESPN: Falcons eye Bills, Dolphins joint practices
Falcons coach Dan Quinn spoke with the media on Tuesday, and among the topics discussed was the possibility of joint practices with both the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins. For now, things remain up in the air regarding when teams will be able to begin working together on the field, and the Falcons are not going to make any final decisions before hearing guidelines for return from the NFL.
"As far as the timing regarding doing some scrimmaging on some other teams, the two teams that we spoke to way back in the offseason were Miami and Buffalo," Quinn explained. "If those guidelines are in place that we are able to, we will. Obviously, if they're not, we won't. That's where we're at on those."
Under Quinn, the Falcons have not held joint practices with other teams, preferring to compete internally against themselves and touting an "iron sharpens iron" mentality. Earlier in the offseason, however, Quinn said he would be open to adjusting that approach and hinted that joint practices could be part of that altered approach.
"We want to pressure test more as often as we can," Quinn said. "If that includes a team they haven't done before as part of training camp, I'm willing to look at all things."
Vaughn McClure wrote a bit more about the Falcons' considering joint practices with the Bills and Dolphins, which you can read here.
The Ringer: The best remaining free agents
With the NFL Draft now in the rearview, most teams are focused on the group they have in place and preparing them for the upcoming season. There are, however, a number of high-profile free agents still left on the market, including players like Cam Newton, Everson Griffin and Jason Peters. In his piece for The Ringer, Danny Kelly listed one free agent – defensive end Michael Bennett – as a potential fit with the Falcons.
"The Falcons' edge rushing unit remains paper-thin even after signing Dante Fowler in free agency, and head coach Dan Quinn is familiar with Bennett from their time together in Seattle in 2013 and 2014," Kelly writes.
To see the rest of Kelly's list of top remaining NFL free agents, click here.
ESPN: Alex Mack focused on season
Falcons center Alex Mack is going into the final year of his contract, and he's solely focused on that final year. In an interview with ESPN's Vaughn McClure, Mack explained where his mindset is heading into the 2020 season.
"Going into Year 12, I feel pretty good and excited for it, ready to take it on,'' Mack told McClure. "I'll play the year out, see how I feel -- how my body works and how much I'm enjoying it -- then make the decision at the end of year if I want to keep going or what. The future is unknown, and that's the way I'm looking at it. Every year is one year at a time: keep going, prepare, and play, and do everything as best as I can. Then I'll see where I'm at.''
A six-time Pro Bowler, including three Pro Bowls with the Falcons, Mack has been among the very best offensive linemen during his 11 NFL seasons. He was recently named to the NFL's All-Decade Team as a testament to his sustained high level of play.
The Falcons drafted former Temple center Matt Hennessy in the third round of this year's NFL Draft, and he has many similar qualities to Mack. Atlanta will give Hennessy the chance to play left guard in his first NFL season, but he could be the future at the center position for the Falcons. Despite Hennessy's presence, however, Mack remains focused on helping the Falcons make it back to the playoffs in 2020.
To read the rest of McClure's piece on the Falcons' talented veteran center, click here.
NFL.com: One player to root for on every team
Every NFL team has players with a great story worth investing in. Fan-favorites earn that status for a reason, and NFL.com writer Adam Rank took a moment to highlight one player from all 32 teams worth rooting for during the 2020 season. His selection for the Atlanta Falcons is a newcomer but someone every Falcons fan will certainly be rooting for during the upcoming season – running back Todd Gurley.
"I've been a big Todd Gurley guy since his days at Georgia," Rank writes. "I never understood why he wasn't given more of a chance in the Rams' Super Bowl loss to the Patriots 15 months ago (10 carries for 35 yards). And even though Gurley got 200-plus carries for the Rams last year, it just felt strange. It was like a couple that you knew was going to break up but they kept telling everyone they were fine. Like Hopkins with the Cardinals, I hope Gurley goes out and crushes it for the Falcons this season."
To see the other player on Rank's list, click here.
NY Daily News: Falcons ruin Jets-Broncos trade
Former Temple center Matt Hennessy, who the Falcons selected in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, is a player the team is very high on. He has the athleticism needed to play in Atlanta's offensive scheme and the versatility to compete for the open left guard spot next to Alex Mack.
As it turns out, the Falcons weren't the only team who rated Hennessy highly. According to a report by Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, the Falcons' selection of Hennessy ruined a trade between the New York Jets and the Denver Broncos. The Jets, who held the No. 79 pick in the draft, had agreed to trade their third-round pick to the Broncos and move back to Denver's pick at No. 83.
The Broncos were targeting Hennessy with the 79th-overall pick, but Atlanta grabbed him one pick earlier, squashing any plans Denver had to grab the former Temple center. Thus, the Broncos stood pat and selected former LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry at No. 83 while the Jets grabbed former Florida defensive end Jabari Zuniga at 79.
To read the rest of Mehta's report, click here.
2020 Falcons Schedule
Click below to view the full schedule and learn more about ticket options for the 2020 season.
