Falcons OL Matt Gono signs second-round tender

As the Atlanta Falcons free agency experience trudges along, a pretty important box has been checked for the fall’s roster.

Falcons tackle and occasional guard Matt Gono has officially signed his second-round tender, per his agent.

Gono’s one-year contract with the Falcons will be worth roughly $3.4 million per Spotrac, which is good money and should lock him in as the team’s swing tackle. He’s an excellent depth piece for the roster for the year ahead, but there may be an opportunity for him to be more than that.

Swing tackles can cost a little bit of money at times, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team keep the former undrafted gem where he is for the next season. Dirk Koetter and company tried him out at left guard a little last fall. He wasn’t a worldbeater, but he held his own, and you do wonder at that salary if the team might see if he can take over that spot permanently, especially if they don’t sign any other free agents on the offensive line.

If nothing else, Gono’s signing does give the team some peace of mind should injury strike at the tackle position, and it’s money well spent in our minds for that alone. We’re glad to have Gono here officially this fall, and we’ll look forward to tracking his career progress with this new coaching staff. If they can help maximize his true potential, perhaps Gono will soon become something what many of us have long hoped he’d get the chance to be: A starter.