The NFL may not be giving Jake Matthews his due, but the Falcons know exactly what they have.
At 34, Matthews isn’t being talked about as one of the league’s elite offensive tackles, and he wasn’t among ESPN’s top 10 tackles after Jeremy Fowler surveyed more than 70 NFL scouts, executives and coaches. He did draw at least one vote, which is more than a complete shutout, but it still says plenty about how easy it is for a player like this to get overlooked.
That’s a mistake in Atlanta. Matthews has been the Falcons’ left tackle for well over a decade, and his value goes far beyond highlight-reel play. He’s the team’s longest-tenured player, and there are few people in the locker room who matter more to the identity of the offensive line.
The durability alone is staggering. Matthews owns the NFL’s longest active start streak and has started nearly 200 straight games. He has appeared in 196 of 197 possible starts in his 12-year career, and he hasn’t missed a start since Week 2 of his rookie season 12 years ago.
Even a high-ankle sprain in Week 6 against the Buffalo Bills couldn’t knock him out for long. The kind of injury that usually costs a player multiple weeks only kept him out briefly, and he was back in the lineup the next week against the 49ers to keep the streak alive.
That kind of reliability has become part of his value in Atlanta. When the new regime needed to create cap space this offseason, Matthews agreed to restructure his deal. The Texas A&M product may not be headed for the Hall of Fame, but he has been the steady answer at left tackle and one of the NFL’s most under-appreciated players.
In Other News...
Saints May Have Recreated A Backfield Falcons Fans Know Too Well
The Saints have spent enough time trying to find the right complement for Alvin Kamara that any new backfield pairing is going to get a second look in Atlanta. This one comes with real intrigue, because Travis Etienne Jr. arrives as a proven runner who can change the shape of an offense, and the fit immediately invites memories of the kind of two-man ground game New Orleans used to lean on when it was controlling the division.
For Falcons fans, the concern is less about the names on the jerseys than the feeling they bring back. The Saints have already shown how effective a Kamara-led backfield can be when paired with the right partner, and if this version clicks the way New Orleans hopes, it could again make life harder for Atlanta in the NFC South. The question now is whether the new duo can recreate that old rhythm before the division race starts to tilt. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons May Have Traded One QB Problem For Another With Tua
The Falcons moved on from Kirk Cousins and landed Tua Tagovailoa, a swap that says as much about the state of the quarterback market as it does about Atlantas urgency to settle the most important spot on the roster. Pro Football Focus had Cousins and Tagovailoa back-to-back near the bottom of its quarterback rankings, which is a reminder that this is less about finding a perfect answer than trying to bet on a better one.
Cousins at least gave Atlanta a steadier stretch last season, while Tagovailoa brings a different kind of appeal based on what he has shown earlier in his career. The Falcons are clearly hoping the change of scenery unlocks that version again, but for now they are still left with the same basic question they had before the move: whether this is a fix, or just a different kind of gamble. [Read more 🡒]
Harold Perkins Jr. Just Made The Falcons Decision Even Tougher
Harold Perkins Jr. has already given the Falcons a little more to think about before he even settles into the building. The former LSU standout has been working out with pass-rush coach Marcus Howard, a sign that Atlanta is looking closely at how to tap into the kind of versatility Perkins showed in college, where he moved between edge rusher and linebacker while also pushing through an ACL injury.
That kind of background fits a defense under Jeff Ulbrich that likes to bring pressure and create disruption, and it leaves Atlanta with a real puzzle as it sorts through its linebacker mix. Perkins best path forward may not be obvious right away, but the more he shows as a rusher and a hybrid piece, the harder it becomes to pin down exactly what his long-term fit will be. [Read more 🡒]