Jake

Matthews

Falcons rookie slot DB Billy Bowman Jr. (hamstring) and LB Divine Deablo (forearm) have also been ruled out. None of the three practiced this week. On the plus side, LT Jake Matthews (ankle) will play. The defensive injuries soften up the Falcons’ interior, which benefits Dolphins RB De’Von Achane.

Matthews left Week 6 about halfway through the game and did not return. Raheem Morris said that he “feels good about him playing” today, noting that “he’s a machine.” The fact that he made a solid effort to get back to practice today indicates he’s at least on the optimistic side of questionable.

It’s one injury to watch ahead of Week 7, though it wasn’t like the Falcons had major problems on the offensive line without the 33-year-old veteran. Mike Jerrell played left tackle in Matthews’ absence for most of the second half on Monday.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports the extension includes $38 million fully guaranteed over the next two seasons. Matthews was selected No. 6 overall in the 2014 draft by the Falcons and has been with the team ever since, starting all 179 games he has played in. Atlanta now locks him in for two more seasons to protect the left-handed Michael Penix Jr. Matthews has finished every season since his rookie year with at least a 71.2 PFF blocking grade, and grades out even better than that as a pure pass blocker.

Left tackle Jake Matthews is questionable. Losing both starting tackles for Week 15 would be a nightmare for the Falcons’ ground-heavy approach. Both players rank inside Pro Football Focus’s top 30 tackles in overall grade this year. Though fantasy managers should still be firing up Bijan Robinson, he gets a slight downgrade in the ranks based on these injuries.

Matthews was hurt on a Desmond Ridder interception play and is listed as questionable to return with a knee injury. Backup Tyler Vrabel is in for Matthews to protect Ridder’s blindside.

Matthews’ status was in doubt after he had to leave the team for the birth of his son, but he has made it to the stadium in time. Matthews is having another solid year on Marcus Mariota’s blindside. Inactive for the Falcons are TE Feleipe Franks, S Erik Harris, CB A.J. Terrell, ILB Nate Landman, OL Jonotthan Harrison, TE Anthony Firkser and DL Matt Dickerson.

This was done as a means to reduce Matthews’ $26 million-plus cap hit for 2022. The former No. 6 overall pick of the 2014 draft, this puts Matthews under the Falcons’ control through his age-34 season. Matthews graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 44 tackle last season out of 147 qualifiers.

He was expected to play even after missing some practice time this week. The Falcons declared DT Marlon Davidson, DE Charles Harris, RB Qadree Ollison, CB Kendall Sheffield, and OT John Wetzel as inactive for Week 2. The Falcons are catching a banged-up Cowboys team in a 0-1 vs. 0-1 matchup.

Matthews missed practice Wednesday with a knee injury. The Falcons line only gave up two sacks in Week 1 despite Matt Ryan attempting 54 passes in their losing effort to Seattle. Matthews’ presence on the left side will help give Ryan clean pockets again this week in another game that should feature loads of scoring.