Report: Matt Ryan, Julio Jones expected to remain with Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons have not discussed trading Matt Ryan or Julio Jones and both players are expected to stay with the team this year, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

The Falcons are eager to see how the star quarterback and wide receiver pair with new head coach Arthur Smith, Pelissero adds. Smith is expected to implement a similar offense to the one Ryan operated during his 2016 MVP season.

Both players also carry contracts that would be difficult to move this offseason. Cutting or trading Ryan would result in a $49.9-million dead cap hit, per Spotrac, while Jones would account for a dead-money charge of $38.5 million.

Ryan passed for 4,500 yards with 26 touchdowns to 11 interceptions this season while Jones battled injuries throughout the campaign. The 31-year-old receiver appeared in just nine games and failed to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards for the first time since 2013.

The Falcons finished 4-12 and missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year in 2020. The club is slated to pick fourth in the upcoming NFL draft.

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