The Atlanta Falcons have steadied their offensive line with a nice mix of veterans and young players.
Among those young players is left guard Matt Bergeron, 2023's second-round pick, who improved in his second year and showed All-Pro potential.
And, to think the Falcons nearly missed out on him...
Cowboys were close to drafting Matt Bergeron, and they seriously regret it
With the No. 26 pick, the Dallas Cowboys took Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
To say Smith hasn't panned out is an understatement. The big-bodied lineman has two sacks, seven tackles for loss, and 54 tackles in two seasons, leaving Cowboys fans labeling him a "bust."
To make things worse for the organization, they were close to drafting Matt Bergeron with their first-round pick. Instead, the Falcons traded up to snag him at No. 38.
While you can't directly compare stats of an offensive and defensive lineman, consider that Bergeron has played 2,234 snaps to Smith's 830.
Clearly, the Falcons got the better value at a lower draft slot than the Cowboys.
Bergeron is already showing superstar potential. He has played virtually every snap since he joined the team, and has only gotten better with each. He is now poised to have his best season yet, serving as one of the main blockers for an offense with limitless potential.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys have scrambled to repair their fading offensive line after losing guys like Travis Frederick, Tyron Smith, and Zack Martin over the past few years.
Their 2025 pick was a continuation of that as they took Alabama's Tyler Booker, a pick that has been overwhelmingly considered a reach.
Things might look much different in Dallas if they had taken Bergeron two years ago. It would've opened their options in the past two drafts, allowing them to address skill positions to help Dak Prescott.
Instead, they are stuck regretting their first-round decision, and the Atlanta Falcons are grateful.