When you’re in as bad of salary cap shape as the Atlanta Falcons, every dollar must be accounted for. That’s the reason for the team’s frugal spending over the first wave of free agency.
Not only have the Falcons been shopping in the bargain bin, they’ve been forced to part with multiple starters from last season. One of the minor moves Atlanta made was applying a second-round tender to restricted free agent Matt Gono, who’s served as a swing tackle and backup guard for the team over the past few years.
On Thursday, the Falcons announced that Gono signed his second-round tender, which pays him $3.3 million and keeps him in Atlanta for another year at least.
Matt Gono has signed his restricted free agent tender. https://t.co/QVPEucpSGi
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) March 25, 2021
Gono, 24, has played in 21 games (four starts) since signing in Atlanta as an undrafted free agent out of Wesley College in 2018. With veteran left guard James Carpenter out of the picture after the team released him last month, Gono could potentially end up starting next season.
His role in 2021 likely depends on what the Falcons do over the remainder of free agency and in the upcoming NFL draft.
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