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Atlanta Falcons right guard Chris Lindstrom has long been seen as one of the best at his position in the NFL.
Despite never playing on a team that has made the playoffs or had a winning season, Lindstrom has risen above the team's doldrums and been named a second-team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl four times.
But what about his running mate? In one of former general manager Terry Fontenot's numerous trade-ups on draft day, the Falcons selected Matthew Bergeron at No.
38 overall after sending the Indianapolis Colts No.
44 and No.
110 in 2023.
Bergeron was an offensive tackle at Syracuse, but he's manned the left guard spot for the Falcons since his selection.
Sports Illustrated's Matthew Verderame compiled a list of the top offensive guard tandems in the NFL, and he placed Lindstrom and Bergeron No.
4.
"Lindstrom has been a tower of power for the Falcons since being drafted in 2019, only missing one game since his rookie campaign," Verderame wrote on Sports Illustrated.
"All told, Lindstroms grade of 88.4 on Pro Football Focus ranked second among guards, while his 91.7 run-blocking mark topped the charts." PFF has historically been a big fan of Lindstrom.
They named him to their All-Decade team last week.
A list that puts him among several future Hall of Famers.
In 2022, he had a 95.0 rating that didn't just make him the highest-graded offensive guard; it made him the highest-graded player in the NFL regardless of position.
"As for Bergeron, hes settled in nicely through three years, starting all but two games of his career," Verderame continued.
"The Syracuse product also had top-30 PFF grades last year overall and for run blocking, showing the versatility of a player entering the final season of his rookie contract." As Verderame mentioned, Bergeron is scheduled to be a free agent after this season.
He carries a $4.8 million cap hit.
Lindstrom currently has the highest cap hit on the Falcons at $26.3 million.
If Bergeron has another good season, he could have a long list of suitors on the free agent market.
As the 20th-ranked offensive guard by PFF last year, let's say he's seen by NFL personnel the same way as he heads towards free agency.
Ed Ingram of the Texans and Patrick Mekari of the Jaguars are tied at $12.5 million per season as the 20th highest-paid guards, according to Spotrac.
The Falcons already have the fifth-highest-paid offensive line, and that's with Bergeron on a rookie deal and Jawaan Taylor on a low $4.6 million at right tackle.
Atlanta has recently given big extensions to wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts, with running back Bijan Robinson looming.
Can they afford to pay another premium price for a non-premium position? Having so many resources tied into what the NFL considers non-premium positions is one of several reasons the Falcons haven't gotten over the hump the last five seasons, despite a talented roster.
Early in new general manager Ian Cunningham's tenure, we've learned several things.
First, he's not a fan of trading up in the draft.
Next, he emphasizes premium positions, including quarterback, wide receiver, offensive tackle, defensive line, and cornerback.
Finally, they're not afraid to get creative with the salary cap.
London's four-year, $141 million contract extension carries just an $8 million cap hit in year one.
If Bergeron plays his way into being a must-have type of player for the Falcons, Cunningham can find a way to make it happen.
But it wouldn't be a total surprise to see him let Bergeron walk and invest the savings in other areas.
Sign up for our free Atlanta Falcons newsletter and follow us and 30,000 Falcons fans on Facebook and X for the latest news! Scott is an Atlanta-based sports media professional with stints as Director of Scouting of Scout.com, VP of Content Production at Sports Illustrated, and Managing Editor at CBS Interactive / 247 Sports, among others.
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