The Facts: Owner Arthur Blank replied "yes, yes" when asked on NFL Network if the team is eager to make Ryan a Falcon for life. "I think what's most exciting for me, personally, is that Matt has indicated a number of times that he wants to play another five-to-seven years," Blank said Friday. "And I think he thinks he's Tom Brady -- play to maybe 42, I'm not sure. That would be great, too. But Matt's been a great player for us for 10 years -- both on the field and off the field. So, I'm looking forward to having him extend his contract."

Diehards Line: As NFL.com suggests, Ryan certainly seems capable of staying among the NFL's elite passers for the next five years. Although his numbers slid off slightly from his amazing 2016 output, he's still playing at a level higher than likely free-agent-to-be Kirk Cousins, who's poised for a huge payday. Blank clearly understands this, but he also wants to make sure the Falcons remain in contention for playing a Super Bowl in front of the home crowd next February -- and for years to come. To do this, he wants the Falcons to be careful in how they approach Ryan's new contract and how it'll affect the rest of the 53-man roster. "I think he wants to win championships," Blank said of Ryan. "He wants to win the Super Bowl. So part of what we have to keep in balance -- and Matt has to help us do that -- is that we want to sign a contract with Matt that is respectful and competitive with him, but one that positions the team to keep talent around him. ... I don't care who the player is, you can't win with one player. ..." It'll be interesting to see how contract talks develop in the weeks and months ahead.