The quarterback position in the NFL is viewed differently than just about any other. While most franchises are hyper-focused on player age or the amount of money they’re paid, quarterbacks get to live by a whole different set of rules.
They have a bigger impact on the game than most, they don’t take the physical beating of other positions, and their skills diminish at a much slower rate than everyone else’s.
All of this influences the way teams view stability at the quarterback spot. In a recent feature by Touchdown Wire’s Pat Yasinskas, each of the 32 teams were ranked in terms of how well they are set up at the QB position for the future.
The Falcons have 34-year-old Matt Ryan under contract for four more seasons in a time when quarterbacks routinely play into their late thirties. This led to Atlanta being ranked as the No. 5 team in TD Wire’s future QB rankings:
At 34, Matt Ryan is still going strong. Ryan never has suffered a major injury and has kept himself in good shape. With quarterbacks such as Tom Brady and Drew Brees playing into their 40s, Ryan, who is under contract through 2023, still should be good for at least another four years, although the Falcons might want to find a long-term successor toward the end of that timetable. Current backup Matt Schaub is 38, has limited mobility and not a lot of arm strength. The Falcons should upgrade at backup in the offseason.
Ryan has aged like a fine wine thus far, so it’s not unreasonable to think he could play at a similar level for the next four or five seasons. 24-year-old Kurt Benkert has shown some promise, while veteran Matt Schaub has gotten the job done as the Falcons’ primary backup this season.
