Jake Matthews Injury: Updates on Falcons Star's Recovery from Lisfranc Injury

Jake Matthews is going to spend a good portion of his offseason rehabbing, as the rookie offensive lineman suffered a Lisfranc foot injury.

Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com has the report:

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Atlanta Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews, who came on strong to end his rookie season, is recovering from a Lisfranc foot injury, according to multiple sources. 

Matthews suffered the injury in the team's 34-3 season-ending loss to theCarolina Panthers. He played 61 offensive snaps in that game before exiting late in the fourth quarter. 

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Per McClure, recovery from the most serious of Lisfranc foot injuries generally takes around four months.

Matthews showed great promise at left tackle this year after being selected as the No. 6 pick in the 2014 NFL draft. But the final game of the season was a rough one for Matthews, as he not only suffered his foot injury but also had his struggles in the contest, per Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com:

Still, Matthews is a key cog in Atlanta's rebuilding efforts as it looks to replace former head coach Mike Smith and return to the ranks of the elite in the NFL. The Falcons made the playoffs in four of the five years between 2008-12, but they have missed out on the postseason in two consecutive years.

Young players like Matthews are key pieces in helping the Falcons return to the playoffs. His health heading into next season and his continued development as the team's left tackle will be vital.