{"id":828929,"date":"2026-07-28T11:14:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T11:14:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/828929\/"},"modified":"2026-07-28T11:14:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T11:14:10","slug":"pff-ranks-atlanta-falcons-ot-jake-matthews-no-26-in-nfl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/828929\/","title":{"rendered":"PFF ranks Atlanta Falcons OT Jake Matthews No. 26 in NFL"},"content":{"rendered":"

July 28, 2026, 6:07 a.m. ET<\/p>\n

The Atlanta Falcons<\/a> have fielded one of the NFL’s better offensive lines for the last few seasons, but the cracks have started to show up over the last year or so. Right tackle Kaleb McGary suffered a season-ending injury during training camp in 2025, then opted to retire before the 2026 draft.<\/p>\n

Center Drew Dalman signed with the Chicago Bears<\/a> as a free agent in 2025, and despite making his first Pro Bowl, he also chose to retire over the offseason. Dalman was a big loss, even though Ryan Neuzil has been solid since taking over at center.<\/p>\n

Chris Lindstrom and Matthew Bergeron have grown into one of the best guard combos in the NFL. Over at left tackle, Jake Matthews continues to quietly hold down the fort.<\/p>\n

While he no longer serves as the team’s blind-side protector, Matthews remains a model of consistency. However, the veteran did not get much love in Pro Football Focus<\/a>‘ offensive tackle rankings.Matthews was ranked No. 26 in the NFL.<\/p>\n

Here’s what PFF’s Dalton Wasserrman and Max Chadwick had to say about the 34-year-old.<\/p>\n

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.<\/a><\/p>\n

“Consistency is the operative word for Matthews\u2019 game, as 2025 was his 11th consecutive season playing at least 1,000 snaps while posting at least a 77.0 PFF grade. His 82.4 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2025 ranked as the fifth-best mark among all qualified tackles. Matthews\u2019 run-blocking has always lagged a bit behind his stellar pass protection, but the 34-year-old is still a very valuable piece of Atlanta\u2019s offense.” – Dalton Wasserman & Max Chadwick, PFF<\/a><\/p>\n

As for McGary, the Falcons signed former Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor to replace their former first-round pick. Taylor is a slight upgrade as a pass protector, but he’s not as good in the run game as McGary.<\/p>\n

The team also traded for Taylor’s former Chiefs teammate Wanya Morris, adding some additional depth up front. The right tackle competition<\/a> is one potentially underrated Falcons position battle to watch during training camp.<\/p>\n

Taylor is the obvious favorite to replace McGary, but he did not participate at OTAs and there is some speculation about his injury status<\/a>. Atlanta’s veteran players report to camp on Tuesday, so keep an eye on this right tackle competition over the next few weeks.<\/p>\n

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