Matt Ryan’s contract is the main reason he hasn’t played for the Colts again this year

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Sam Ellinger It officially becomes the starting quarterback for the ponies. If it fails or is injured, Nick Foles will receive. And if Volz gets injured, the midfielder will be everyone else Matt Ryan.

Ryan finished. He left. He will not play again for reasons rooted in his contract. Simply put, once the team decided (and it was clear from coach Frank Reich’s comments that owner Jim Irsai made the decision) that Ryan would not be the quarterback in 2023, it was time to pull the plug in 2022.

Ryan’s contract already pays him $12 million in base salary next year, which is fully guaranteed. But millions more will be fully guaranteed if Ryan sustains an injury that prevents him from being physically passed by the third day of league year 2023 in March, when the currently guaranteed payouts for the injury will become fully guaranteed.

Specifically, Ryan received $7.205 million in additional pay for 2023 injury-guaranteed, and a 2023 bounty of $10 million, also injury-guaranteed. That’s $17.205 million the Colts likely owe Ryan (plus $12 million) if he exits the 2022 season with an injury that prevents him from getting through my body by mid-March.

This is why Ryan will not play again for the Colts in 2022. In theory, he could be traded before next Tuesday. However, his performances during seven weeks into the current season will surely lead any/every team away from Ryan and his contract, regardless of whether the rookie suffers a season-ending injury this weekend.

The question then becomes whether the Ponies will cut Ryan after the trade deadline. He may ask for his release. The Colts may be waiting for the right moment to get rid of him, thinking that a potential team in need of the quarterback might claim his contract on concessions.

Again, unlikely. It is over in all its manifestations. Not every midfielder will have his arm after his 40th birthday. For 37-year-old Ryan, a lot of his throws now look what John Madden used to call them The last shot of a Roman candle.

Ryan has had an amazing career. He was the best player. He did everything in his power to win the Super Bowl. He recently passed Dan Marino to become No. 7 on the all-time passer yards list.

Matt Ryan has a strong case in Canton. At this point, however, continuing to play could eventually hurt his cause. And so, as was the case when the Vikings sacked Donovan McNabb on the bench for Christian Bonder in 2011 and later fired McNabb, it may simply be over for Ryan.

Even if that were the case, he would still make $12 million next year for not playing professional football. The ponies, at this point, are simply hoping to make sure he doesn’t get another $17.205 million.