After a solid year of protecting Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr., the Atlanta Falcons look to have four of their ideal starting five offensive linemen under contract for the 2025 season, Penix’s first year as the full-time starting quarterback. However, center Drew Dalman is the only player facing uncertainty on Atlanta’s offensive line since he is set to hit free agency and can negotiate contracts with other teams once the tampering window opens tomorrow. While elite Pro Bowl right guard Chris Lindstrom receives the most credit, the Falcons’ veteran offensive tackle has been the unsung hero.
The Atlanta Falcons LT continues to be reliable even at the age of 33
Jake Matthews has been a reliable left tackle in the NFL ever since his rookie season. Matthews has not missed a single game since his rookie season, playing over 174 consecutive regular season games, and is going strong at the age of 33. He is coming off an incredible 2024 campaign, surrendering 30 pressures, 21 hurries, four QB hits, and five sacks allowed while posting an 85.4 pass-blocking, a 70.1 run-blocking, and a 79.8 overall PFF grade, ranking 7th in pass-blocking, 27th in run-blocking, and 14th in overall grade among offensive tackles who have played at least 50% of snaps (h/t) PFF.
Matthews entered the second year of his 3-year, $55 million contract extension, which he signed during the 2022 offseason. He is scheduled to earn a $15.5 million base salary along with a $21.77 million cap hit in 2025.
According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the Falcons and Jake Matthews have agreed to a massive multi-year contract extension. As Garafolo points out, the deal is for 2 years and is worth $45 million. Finally, his $22.5 million APY makes him the fifth-highest paid left tackle in the league.
Here’s a look at the top four highest-paid LT’s based on APY
- Trent Williams: $27,553,333
- Christian Darrisaw: $26,000,000
- Laremy Tunsil: $25,000,000
- Andrew Thomas: $23,500,000
