Matt Ryan's trade to the Indianapolis Colts marks yet another attempted solution at finding a quarterback that can bring the team far in the playoffs. Acquiring veteran quarterbacks for teams that are strong in every other facet is the new way teams are looking to build contenders. One of Ryan's close friends was just the beneficiary of this plan.

Ryan and Matthew Stafford are two friends with somewhat similar NFL careers. They both took the reigns of a historically unsuccessful franchise and helped it succeed by pairing up with a legendary wide receiver. After failing for over a decade to bring their teams a championship, both were traded to a team with a stronger supporting cast. Stafford led the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl in his first season with them and now hopes Ryan can do the same in Indianapolis.

Stafford told The Athletic's Stephen Holder that Ryan, even as he approaches 37 years of age, is still one of the better quarterbacks out there. The Colts are getting someone fiercely competitive and fundamentally sound.

I feel like he’s in total control all the time. You watch him play and he’s unbelievable at the line of scrimmage (in) understanding what he’s looking at and all the things that come with being a veteran and being a smart player. And, physically, his timing and accuracy (are) as good as anybody. From a mechanical standpoint, he’s as good as it gets. And he competes his ass off and has been doing that for years.

Ryan is still being paid handsomely as he begins his Colts tenure. The pressure is on for him to prove that he can still play at a high level.