Throughout the process leading to the draft, several analysts mentioned a possible transition from the position of blocker to guard for Matthew Bergeron in the NFL. The Atlanta Falcons, who drafted him at 38e rank, confirmed that this was indeed their plan.
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During their press conference broadcast on the team’s website at the end of the second day of the auction, head coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot revealed their plans without wasting time playing hiding place.
“Matt played as a blocker at Syracuse, but we’re going to start him on the inside. That’s the vision we have for him with the depth we have on the offensive line,” Smith explained.
In other words, as a blocker, Bergeron played on the left end of the offensive line. Among the professionals, as a guard, he will be called upon to play from the inside, between the center and the blocker.
During his four-year university career at Syracuse, the Victoriavillois stood out for several reasons, but mainly for his brute force, a major asset among guards in the ground game.
“We want to bring him in the right way and he has a lot of power in his game. We saw that in the Senior Bowl. We are very excited to have him with us,” continued Bergeron’s new head coach.
Compared to Saffold
Smith, when pushed to go further in his reasoning, drew a parallel between Bergeron and another player he managed, veteran Rodger Saffold.
“I hate making comparisons, but in his case I’m going to do it by comparing him to Rodger Saffold. He was drafted to be a blocker [par les Rams] and at the end of his career he was a very good guard. I’m not saying Matt is Rodger, but they have the same kind of size and power,” argued the third-year rider.
The latter does not say he is at all worried about Bergeron’s ability to adapt to change and does not rule out, in the longer term, a return to his natural position as blocker.
“You can see he can change positions in the way he’s built and Matt is very bright. In a season, there are injuries and the goal is not to play musical chairs with our young players, but it does help to have this flexibility on the offensive line. It is an additional value.”
A place as a starter?
Stephane Cadorette
Matthew Bergeron played left tackle throughout his four-year stint at Syracuse University. PHOTO PROVIDED BY COLLEGE PRESSBOX
Currently, the two starting tackles for the Falcons are veteran Jake Matthews, who has been in the job since 2014, and young Kaleb McGary, who has just signed a rich contract extension. The guard on the right is Chris Lindstrom, who also signed a new five-year pact in March.
So it’s logical to believe that Bergeron will fight for the starting left guard position, with Matt Hennessy, a third-round pick in 2020.
In pre-draft interviews, Bergeron repeatedly said he preferred the blocker job, but he was open to change and his only desire was to help his future team win.
A necessary exchange
To make sure to get their hands on the Quebecer at the start of the second round, the Falcons had to make a trade with the Colts, just to climb from 44e at 38e rank.
To do so, they sacrificed their fourth-round pick, the 110e in total. It’s a sign that they were keen on Bergeron, rather than waiting for him in 44th place and risking losing him to another team.
“In this organization, we always talk about passion and conviction. When you really like a player, you have to go get him. We felt good about him, so we just said, “let’s go!” We are going to get it, “summarized general manager Terry Fontenot, who is also entering his third year with the Falcons.
“We are very happy with the outcome. We put a lot of emphasis on the line of scrimmage and we know that’s where games are won,” he continued.