How much longer will Grady Jarrett and Jake Matthews stay in Atlanta?

Among all the roster and coaching changes in Atlanta over the past decade, there have been two constants: one on each side of the ball.

Left tackle Jake Matthews captained the offense while defensive tackle Grady Jarrett captained the defense. We often take these two things for granted because of their consistency year after year.

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However, as we all know, all good things must come to an end. These two aren’t getting any younger and the truth is we could see their release in the next few years.

If two players deserve to win a Super Bowl with the Atlanta Falcons, it is LT Jake Matthews and DT Grady Jarrett who have remained loyal to the team since their draft in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

The offensive lineman currently holds the record for most consecutive starts in franchise history. In contrast, the defensive lineman has fought tooth and nail on every down over the past nine seasons and was robbed of the Super Bowl MVP award in 2017.

Things need to happen quickly for the Falcons to get these two veterans a ring.

Starting with offensive lineman, Matthews just completed the final year of his second contract and is entering the extension years he signed two years ago. He will receive $55 million and is expected to become a free agent in 2027.

His cap hit will be $21.8 million in each of the next three seasons, while his dead cap hit will drop from $34 million this year to $12.5 million and $6.3 million over the next three seasons. next two years. This makes his release all the more likely as each year passes.

If the Falcons continue to see consistent play and health from their left tackle, expect him to finish out his contract.

He will then begin his 14th season at the age of 35. If he continues to play regularly, he could get a short extension of one or two years.

Similar to his offensive counterpart, Grady Jarrett is in the extension years of his big contract with the Dirty Birds.

He signed a three-year, $50.5 million contract extension two years ago and is entering his second year on the extension. He will have $20.4 million on the cap over the next two seasons. With his dead cap hit being only $4.1 million next year, his release is possible next year.

His health and play on the field will determine how things play out for the former Clemson Tiger. He’s coming off a season-ending injury and, like the rest of us, isn’t getting any younger.

By all accounts, he was worth his money until his injury last season. He’s a veteran who has struggled with injuries before, so we can’t doubt his ability to bounce back from a torn ACL.

His production on the field will decide whether the Falcons sign him to another extension. With the leadership and respect he brings to the team, any production on the field would be worth a few more years.

Unless Grady completely bombs this season or suffers another significant injury, expect him to at least play out the remaining years of his contract. His cap numbers are well worth the consistency and leadership.

As it stands, Jake Matthews has the best chance of sticking around the longest. His contract, health, consistency and position make him less replaceable, even as an older player.