Matthews gets a new payday and the Falcons get some breathing room against the cap.
Jake Matthews has been one of the core pieces of this Atlanta Falcons offense more or less since he was drafted. The team’s longtime left tackle now figures to be entering his first season where he won’t be protecting his quarterback’s blind side—Michael Penix is left-handed, you’ll note—but that doesn’t mean the team values the ultra-durable tackle any less.
Per Mike Garafolo at NFL Network, the Falcons have signed Jake Matthews to a new two year extension that will give him $38 million in guaranteed money and $45 million in total money; before that Matthews had $31 million left on his deal with no guaranteed money remaining.
The #Falcons agreed to a two-year, $45m extension with LT Jake Matthews, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
Matthews gets $38m fully guaranteed the next two seasons, years 12 and 13 as Atlanta’s blind-side — er, front-side — protector. Deal done by @RyanWilliamsA1 of @AthletesFirst. pic.twitter.com/wlaeHz4yI1
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 10, 2025
We’ll have to see how it’s structured, but I suspect the Falcons intend this contract to do two things: Ensure they keep around a player that is still blocking at a high level into his 30s and free up some spending money in the here and now. Matthews’ total cap number was set to be close to $21.8 million this year, and chances are good the team significantly decreased that hit by hammering out a new deal. That will allow them to at least be cap compliant—they were close to $6 million over ahead of Wednesday’s start of free agency—and give them at least a little bit of money to sign new players.
D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the Falcons got over $7 million in relief by making this move, making them cap compliant but obviously without much in the way of money to spend. More moves are coming.
UPDATED: #Falcons agree to two-year extension with left tackle Jake Matthews — Deal gave team $7.12 million in salary-cap relief. They are now under the $279.2 million salary cap. https://t.co/4Ejm5Ev6NG
— D. Orlando Ledbetter (@DOrlandoAJC) March 10, 2025
The money is critical and a major area of focus so close to the new league year, but keeping Matthews around is a priority for a reason. He last missed a game in his rookie season, has quietly been a more effective run blocking presence the past couple of seasons, and typically is in the top ten or so left tackles in the league in terms of pass protection per sacks, pressures, and Pro Football Focus grades. You never know if a player will fall off a cliff as they get older, but Matthews has had a track record of quality play and good health that this team feels very comfortable banking on.
This likely won’t be the last move the Falcons make to free up cap space—it basically cannot be—but it’s a good start. Matthews seems increasingly likely to finish an excellent career right here in Atlanta.