Falcons sign Mariota after trading Ryan

The Atlanta Falcons agreed to a two-year deal with free-agent quarterback Marcus Mariota on Monday after trading franchise stalwart Matt Ryan.

Mariota will receive $18.75 million, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Atlanta dealt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts following a failed attempt to replace him with Deshaun Watson. The Falcons received a 2022 third-round pick in return for the former MVP.

Mariota is coming off a two-year stint as Derek Carr's backup with the Las Vegas Raiders. The former No. 2 overall pick has ties to Falcons head coach Arthur Smith, who served as the Tennessee Titans' offensive coordinator during Mariota's tenure with the team.

Mariota, 28, started for the Titans from 2015-18 before losing the job to Ryan Tannehill midway through the 2019 campaign. He's thrown for 77 touchdowns against 45 interceptions throughout his career.

Mariota headlined the list of remaining free-agent quarterbacks, while Jimmy Garoppolo and Baker Mayfield were options for Atlanta in the trade market.

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