Falcons sign LT Matthews to 5-year extension

The Atlanta Falcons took care of another of their top offensive players, reaching agreement on a five-year contract extension for left tackle Jake Matthews, the team announced Friday.

Two days after agreeing to a revised deal with wideout Julio Jones for the 2018 season, the Falcons locked up Matthews with a contract that is worth $75 million, according to the NFL Network.

Matthews became the second left tackle in the 2014 NFL Draft to cash in on a new contract Friday. Tennessee's Taylor Lewan agreed to a five-year, $80 million deal that will make him the league's highest-paid offensive lineman.

The No. 6 overall pick -- five spots ahead of Lewan -- of Atlanta out of Texas A&M, Matthews has started all 63 games in which he has played over his four seasons.

Matthews was an integral part of an offensive line that helped the Falcons reach the Super Bowl in 2016, a season in which the team had the NFL's top-scoring offense and ranked No. 2 in total yards and fifth in rushing yards.

"It's kind of vague, but every year it's the same mindset of going in and becoming a better overall player," Matthews told reporters prior to training camp. "It really starts with the work you put in over the offseason. Just trying to get into the playbook that much more to get an understanding of not just what you're doing, but what everyone's job is."