Getty One Falcons' Pro-Bowler has been tipped to not earn his new contract.
Offensive line was a consistent weakness for the Atlanta Falcons during the 2021 NFL season. The group allowed 40 sacks and ensured Matt Ryan and his fellow quarterbacks remained under siege.
There were a few bright spots up front, specifically, guard Chris Lindstrom and left tackle Jake Matthews. The latter agreed to a lucrative contract extension this offseason, but not everybody is convinced Matthews deserves the money.
The #Falcons and Jake Matthews are working on a three-year contract extension, per source. Should be done soon and get him above $18M per year.
Instead, one NFL writer put Matthews’ name on a list of players who are tipped to play below expectations this year.
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Decline Identified in Matthews’ Performances
Matthews has excelled at times since being drafted with the sixth pick by the Falcons in 2014. He was named to the Pro Bowl four years later, but Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay believes Matthews is in decline.
“This decline is reflected in his PFF grade, which has dipped noticeably in each of the last two campaigns. The Texas A&M product posted a commendable 79.7 PFF score in 2019 before dipping to 75.5 in 2020 and 71.3 in 2021, his worst mark since a 59.7 rookie outing.”
Even though Kay admits the numbers could be worse, he’s also outlined why last season was one of the weaker campaigns of Matthews’ career: “While those aren’t terrible metrics by any means—PFF considers a 71.3 on the low-end of a solid starter—Matthews gave up three sacks and was flagged for six penalties last year. He isn’t likely to see those figures improve while protecting a new starting QB for the first time in his career.”
It’s true the numbers place Matthews far from being among the best, but his recent struggles are as much a by-product of the lack of talent around him. The paucity of stout blockers along the Falcons’ O-line was summed up by the dire performances of right tackle Kaleb McGary and guard Jalen Mayfield, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Weaknesses at several positions across the front means there’s added pressure on Matthews to hold things together. It’s only natural he’d falter under that burden on occasion.
Whatever his recent failings are, Matthews remains one of the few reliable veterans on a rebuilding roster still in a state of flux.
Matthews Is Still Reliable
When it comes to durability, there are few players in the league more reliable than Matthews. He hasn’t missed a start since his rookie year, and for all his struggles, the 30-year-old is still an accomplished blindside protector when he’s on his game:
Show the vet some love 👏
Jake Matthews is one of five players in the NFL to allow single-digit pressures and zero sacks this season.
The Falcons need players who can be counted on the way Matthews can. His presence will be invaluable while the team’s quarterback setup continues to undergo transition.
Ryan’s been traded to the Indianapolis Colts, leaving Marcus Mariota or rookie Desmond Ridder to take the reins. Mariota was last a starter in 2019 when he lost the job with the Tennessee Titans to Ryan Tannehill, under the watchful eye of Falcons’ head coach Arthur Smith, who was then offensive coordinator in Nashville.
Mariota spent the last two seasons serving as Derek Carr’s backup for the Las Vegas Raiders. Meanwhile, Ridder, Atlanta’s third-round pick this year, has yet to take a meaningful snap in the pros.
Whoever earns the right to replace Ryan, will need Matthews locking down the left side. He’s also going to remain the obvious leader of a line that wasn’t significantly reinforced during either the draft or free agency.
General manager Terry Fontenot waited until the sixth round to take former Georgia Bulldogs guard Justin Shaffer off the board. Shaffer’s selection came after Fontenot only dipped into the veteran market to acquire ex-Chicago Bears linemen Germain Ifedi and Elijah Wilkinson.
Despite any naysayers, Matthews, whose NFL lineage includes his father and Hall of Fame lineman Bruce, will still be the main man up front for the Falcons in 2022 and likely beyond.