The Falcons and Jake Matthews have agreed to terms on a three-year extension (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The new pact furnishes the left tackle with $52.5M over the first three years with an average of $18.5M per annum.
The deal makes sense for both sides. Matthews picks up additional dollars and security while the Falcons gain some much-needed cap space. It’s a big step up for Matthews, who previously played on a five-year, $75M contract. At the time, that deal made Matthews one of the three highest paid left tackles in the league. Now that the market has advanced, Matthews had to be taken to the next tier.
Matthews has a perfect attendance record across eight NFL seasons, save for one missed game as a rookie. Last year, the Texas A&M product finished with a 71.4 overall grade, per the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus. However, in years past, he’s placed as one of the top-ranked LTs in the league.
The Falcons also gained some breathing room last week by restructuring Matt Ryan‘s contract. With help from their longtime quarterback, Atlanta gained an extra $12M in cap space for 2022.
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