Jake Matthews may have Falcons pressing pause on quest to find his successor

Writer Jason Kandel argues that Jake Matthews' recent resurgence could prompt the Atlanta Falcons to delay drafting his immediate successor. Despite struggling early in the 2026 NFL season, the 34-year-old offensive lineman delivered an outstanding performance during Atlanta's 29-20 upset victory over the San Francisco 49ers, allowing zero pressures on 34 dropbacks while protecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

According to Kandel, Matthews led all NFL offensive linemen with a 90.7 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus in Week 7. Over a two-week span, Matthews conceded only one pressure across 81 pass-blocking snaps. While Kandel notes Atlanta must eventually replace Matthews, he contends the veteran's improved form might convince general manager Ian Cunningham to target offensive tackle help in later rounds rather than using a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.