Matt Ryan traded to Colts: Indy fully guarantees remainder of contract following acquisition of Falcons legend

The former NFL MVP is the latest in a new trend for quarterbacks

Matt Ryan quickly went from having one of the worst weeks in the NFL to the polar opposite, thanks in large part to the Indianapolis Colts. Having been forced to stand idly by and watch his Atlanta Falcons throw the kitchen sink at trying to land former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, it was crystal clear the organization had opted to move on from its legendary quarterback in 2022. Watson's change of heart and decision to join the Cleveland Browns instead was a dagger to the heart of the Falcons, but Ryan wasn't going to stick around to rub their backs and tell them all would be forgiven.

Instead, with the relationship now irrevocably damaged, he and the Falcons were able to work out a trade to the Colts in exchange for a 2022 third-round pick, and the Falcons were willing to set an NFL record by eating more than $40 million in dead money to make the move happen. It's an absolute win for a Colts organization that decided to trade Carson Wentz only one year after trading to acquire him -- again thrusting them back into the QB market -- but also for Ryan, who got a financial high five on his way into Indy.

The Colts will expectedly pick up the $7.5 million roster bonus that the Falcons were looking to avoid paying, but they've also reportedly guaranteed the remainder of Ryan's contract in its entirety, per NFL Network: two years at roughly $54 million overall. This puts Ryan in rarefied air, joining Watson and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins as the only players in the league with fully guaranteed contracts.

A trend Kirk Cousins established years ago in his initial contract with the Vikings -- now extended but still fully guaranteed -- it was Watson who took the baton this offseason with a groundbreaking five-year, $230 million deal awarded by the Browns following the trade from the Texans, and Ryan wasted no time using Watson's blueprint to make sure his own contract had zero dollars in non-guaranteed money. 

It's a bold new world for NFL quarterback contracts, and the only question now is ... who's next?