Falcons keep building around their offensive line

The Falcons front office isn't messing around this summer. Fresh off long-term deals for Drake London and Kyle Pitts Sr., Atlanta turned its attention to the trenches and made sure Matthew Bergeron isn't going anywhere either.

Bergeron, a 2nd-round pick out of Syracuse back in 2023, has been a Day 1 starter at left guard since he arrived in Atlanta and has racked up 49 starts, missing just 2 games in that stretch. That kind of durability and consistency at a position that doesn't get the headlines is exactly why the Falcons wanted to get ahead of the market before he hit free agency.

The numbers are real money for a guard: 4 years, $96 million, with $60 million guaranteed, running through the 2030 season. That's premium interior-line pay, and it signals Atlanta views Bergeron as a foundational piece up front rather than just a guy holding down a spot until something better comes along.

Falcons GM Ian Cunningham didn't hide the plan here, saying Bergeron is "the type of player you build around" and pointing to his toughness and leadership as reasons he's become a cornerstone of the culture they're trying to establish. Bergeron, for his part, called Atlanta "a special place" for him and his family.

This isn't a one-off. Bergeron is now the 3rd Falcons starter to get a long-term extension in the last 2 months alongside London and Pitts, and the front office still has to figure out Bijan Robinson, who's currently holding out of training camp looking for his own new deal. Atlanta is clearly trying to lock down its young core before the price tags get even bigger — the offensive line just happened to be first in line this time.