Atlanta traded longtime quarterback Matt Ryan to Indianapolis…
Atlanta traded longtime quarterback Matt Ryan to Indianapolis for pick No. 82 in 2022, ending a 14-year era and beginning a roster reset. The Falcons used the pick on DeAngelo Malone, who became primarily a rotational defender and special-teams contributor. Ryan started 12 games for the Colts, throwing for 3,057 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions before being released after one season. Atlanta won because Indianapolis received no lasting quarterback solution.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- pick 2022 3rd round pick (82nd overall, DeAngelo Malone)
Indianapolis Colts Received
- player Matt Ryan
Trade Analysis
Atlanta traded Matt Ryan to Indianapolis in March 2022 for the 82nd overall pick. The Falcons had spent 14 seasons with Ryan as their quarterback, including an MVP season and a Super Bowl appearance, but the roster was entering a major transition. Indianapolis believed the 36-year-old Ryan could become the latest veteran quarterback to keep a talented team in contention.
The Colts did not receive the stabilizing season they expected. Ryan started 12 games, completing 309 of 461 passes for 3,057 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions with an 83.9 passer rating. Indianapolis changed starting quarterbacks four times and finished 4-12-1 while ranking near the bottom of the league in scoring. Ryan was released in March 2023 after one season, making the trade another short-lived quarterback solution for the Colts.
Atlanta used pick No. 82 on Western Kentucky edge defender DeAngelo Malone. His career did not turn the draft pick into a major franchise piece; he has been used more as a rotational defender and special-teams contributor than as a featured pass rusher. That limits how much credit Atlanta should receive. The Falcons also absorbed substantial short-term financial consequences from moving Ryan, so this was not a cost-free victory.
Still, the central comparison favors Atlanta. The Falcons recognized that their competitive window with Ryan had closed and received a Day 2 selection rather than extending the relationship. Indianapolis surrendered that pick for one losing season and did not solve the quarterback position.
The existing B+ for Atlanta is slightly too high because Malone did not become an impact starter. A B better reflects a sound transition with only modest player return. Indianapolis falls from C+ to D because the move failed at its intended purpose and lasted one season. Atlanta wins primarily because it exited at the right time and recovered a useful draft asset.