Atlanta Falcons' Matt Ryan pleased with progress of contract talks

Quarterback Matt Ryan is pleased with the progress in his ongoing contract negotiations with the Atlanta Falcons.

"I think things have been productive up until this point," Ryan said on Monday, via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "As far as a time frame of anything like that, it will shake out. It will handle itself. I don't know if it will be today or tomorrow. Or in a couple of weeks, but I really think we are moving in the right direction.

"I'm excited to be here and that's the biggest thing. All of those things will take care of itself."

Ryan enjoyed a big weekend as he and his wife Sarah announced the birth of twin boys on Sunday after a complicated pregnancy.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank and general manager Thomas Dimitroff also shared positive thoughts last week when asked about the state of Ryan's contract negotiations.

"I think we're close," Dimitroff told 680 The Fan in Atlanta last Tuesday.

Dimitroff added that "it's not a complicated process" in regard to Ryan, who is due to make $19.25 million as he enters the last season of a five-year, $103.75 million contract extension, per Spotrac. With a cap number of $21.65 million, Ryan's franchise tender in 2019 would be $25.98 million before jumping to $31.176 million the following year.

Those numbers will be put in play against those of Kirk Cousins, who scored a three-year, $84 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings this offseason. Cousins' new pact comes after he spent two years playing under the franchise tag with the Washington Redskins.

Ryan threw for 4,095 yards with 20 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions in 16 games last season, one year after he recorded career highs in yards (4,944) and touchdown passes (38) during his NFL MVP campaign.

The 32-year-old has thrown for 41,796 yards with 260 touchdowns and 126 interceptions in 158 career games since the Falcons selected him with the third overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft.