Atlanta Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews (knee) injured his knee during the second quarter of Sunday's Week 14 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is questionable to return. The Falcons were already missing two starting offensive linemen in Kaleb McGary and Drew Dalman so losing Matthews adds to the misery. It could be tough sledding for Falcons QB Desmond Ridder the rest of the way. The team should provide an update on Matthews following the game.
Atlanta Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews is active on Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers after a busy day. Matthews flew back to Atlanta Thursday morning for the birth of his first child but had time to fly back to Carolina in time to be active for the Week 10 contest. The 30-year-old has been a key cog to a successful four-headed Falcons rushing attack in 2022 consisting of running backs Cordarrelle Patterson, Tyler Allgeier and Caleb Huntley and quarterback Marcus Mariota. Matthews being active is good news for a Falcons team that is looking to stay in first place in the NFC South division.
Atlanta Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews has headed back to Atlanta on Thursday for his wife's delivery of his first child. However, the hope is to have Matthews back in time for the Thursday night game against the Carolina Panthers. Matthews has been a key cog for Atlanta's four-headed rushing attack this year as well as for the protection of quarterback Marcus Mariota, so they'll certainly hope he can play in Week 10. The Falcons are the only team in the NFL to have four different players with 250-plus rushing yards and 60-plus carries. If Matthews is unable to return to Carolina in time for kickoff on Thursday Night Football, it will be a downgrade for Atlanta's offense as they look to beat the Panthers for the second time in three weeks.
Falcons, Jake Matthews Agree On Three-Year Extension
The Atlanta Falcons and left tackle Jake Matthews agreed on a three-year contract extension on Monday, according to sources. Matthew receives $52.5 million over the first three years of the deal with a new money average of $18.5 million. The deal will give the Falcons some much-needed salary cap space for this season. The 30-year-old will continue to protect the blind side of quarterback Matt Ryan, who had his contract restructured to help the team's salary cap situation in 2022 as well. Matthews, a first-round pick back in 2014, remains a key cog on Atlanta's offensive line moving forward.
The Atlanta Falcons restructured left tackle Jake Matthews' contract on Saturday, creating $7.95 million in salary cap space for the upcoming season. Per Over the Cap, the Falcons were around $14.2 million over the salary cap before Matthews' restructure. Atlanta converted Matthews' $13 million base salary into a signing bonus. The 29-year-old is under contract through the 2023 season, and the team will spread additional money over the next two years of his deal, which increases the chances that he'll be on the roster for the remainder of his contract. He has been a durable, effective left tackle on quarterback Matt Ryan's blind side and has played at a high level over the last two years, starting all 16 games in each of the last six years.
Atlanta Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews is finalizing a five-year, $75 million deal on Friday, according to a source. Matthews has become a perennial Pro Bowler and is now the third highest paid left tackle in the NFL. He makes life easier for quarterback Matt Ryan and the running game in Atlanta.
Extensions Coming For Jake Matthews, Grady Jarrett?
Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said the team's focus is now on reaching contract extensions with offensive tackle Jake Matthews and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. Both Matthews and Jarrett are key anchors on their respective offensive lines. Jarrett had a career-high 55 tackles and four sacks in his third NFL season in 2017.
