When the Green Bay Packers eventually trade Aaron Rodgers at some point during the offseason, they will only have Jordan Love and Danny Etling in their quarterback room. It would be helpful to have a veteran backup, especially for a first-time starter. And there is one player who would be perfect to add: Matt Ryan.
Ryan will be 38 years old when the regular season starts, and he is far from his prime. Two teams moved on from him in the last calendar year, the Atlanta Falcons and the Indianapolis Colts. However, the role for which Green Bay needs him is totally different, and he fits perfectly for its demands.
The first and most important factor is that Packers head coach Matt LaFleur worked directly with Ryan for two years, when he was the Falcons’ quarterbacks coach in 2015 and 2016. Their relationship was solid, and Ryan mentioned LaFleur’s coaching ability when his former position coach was hired by Green Bay.
“I think he’s built for long-term success,” Ryan said in 2019. “He has a system he believes in. He’s going to be a really good fit for what Aaron does. They can move him around. The zone run scheme is really good. The protection scheme keeps it simple. I think he’ll do a good job in Green Bay. He was great to work with. He was really good at striking the balance between being supportive and having your back and coaching you hard and getting the best out of you.”
The Packers don’t need a quarterback to compete with Love for the starting job. Instead, Ryan could help the young player to prepare for games and correct mistakes made during the season. Even though Kyle Shanahan was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator, LaFleur’s system is similar in terms of principles and language, so it would be an easy transition for the veteran quarterback. Ryan’s professionalism is also a huge factor. For instance, he handled his benching in Indianapolis exceptionally well, helping young Sam Ehlinger as much as possible.
A veteran backup can share his knowledge and experience with a young quarterback, helping him to understand the nuances of the game. He could offer tips on reading defenses, making audibles, and managing the clock. Even though Love learned behind Rodgers for three years, there are situations that Love will only face when actually playing.
Ryan could provide guidance and mentorship to Love, helping him adjust to the demands of the starting job and keeping the young player focused and positive, even in the face of adversity. Love inevitably will face adversity because it’s impossible to be completely smooth in a transition from a Hall of Fame quarterback.
Hopefully for the Packers, Love will play every meaningful snap in 2023. However, injuries happen in football. And even though this is not exactly a win-now season for the Packers, Green Bay’s DNA and the current front office modus operandi wouldn’t try to lose games on purpose. In this scenario, it’s important to have a decent backup.
Ryan is far-removed from his MVP season in 2016, and had just one fewer interceptions than touchdowns in 2022. But the Colts were pretty bad, from the offensive line to his weapons to the in-season staff changes, so it’s fair to expect a solid performance from Ryan if he needs to play a game or two.
The biggest problem for the Packers trying to convince Ryan to come could be money, because Green Bay has almost zero financial flexibility this year.
Things will get better in 2024, but there’s little room to operate during this season. The good news is money might not be a big issue for Ryan. First, because he has already earned almost $300 million throughout his NFL career. Second, because he has $12 million guaranteed from his previous deal with the Colts, and it’s unlikely he’ll receive much more than the veteran minimum salary anyway.
If the Green Bay Packers are able to add Matt Ryan for something around $2 million, with incentives in case Jordan Love goes down with an injury, it could make sense for all parties. And his relationship with Matt LaFleur would be the catalyst to make it happen.
