Pro Football Focus ranked all 32 NFL rosters for ESPN (Insider), and the result for the Atlanta Falcons wasn't too kind.

The Falcons actually dropped one spot from last year's initial list, falling from No. 30 to No. 31. You'll have to read the piece to see which players PFF have as the top five Falcons, with two of them somewhat of a surprise.

The one element that caught the eye immediately was one of the five players PFF named as a starter who should be upgraded: left tackle Jake Matthews. Here is the part of the analysis related to Matthews:

Injuries played a part in Jake Matthews' struggles as a rookie. AP Photo/John Bazemore

"The state of their offensive line will once again be a concern, with Matthews in particular needing to take a huge step forward after an ugly rookie season (he allowed seven sacks and 51 total pressures)."

Indeed, Matthews struggled as a rookie. He had lofty expectations placed on him not only as the No. 6 overall pick, but also as the son of Hall of Fame offensive lineman Bruce Matthews. The offensive system he played in alongside Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M didn't exactly make the transition to an NFL scheme any easier.

In all fairness, Matthews should have been sidelined four to six weeks after suffering a high ankle sprain in the season opener against New Orleans. Instead, he missed just one game and refused to use the injury as a crutch, although it obviously hampered his play.

While evaluating Matthews throughout the season, former Falcons offensive line coach Mike Tice believed Matthews' sets were inconsistent. Tice constantly rode Matthews about his hand placement, telling him there was too much catching that led to being susceptible to bull rushes. Matthews' run blocking was below average early in the season, but got better. And after a stretch of four or five strong games late in the season, Matthews bombed in the season finale against Carolina.

Regardless, Matthews is a guy the Falcons are counting on in the immediate future. He just returned to practice Tuesday for the first time since undergoing January surgery to repair a Lisfranc ligament tear in his foot. He looks intent on showing last year was just part of the growing pains. His work ethic certainly is not a concern.

Would the Falcons really have an upgrade over Matthews, anyway? Not on the current roster. Right tackle Ryan Schraeder is settling in, so there's no reason to move him. Former starting left tackle Sam Baker remains sidelined coming off last year's significant knee surgery and his future with the team is uncertain. Lamar Holmes is filling in at left tackle now, but certainly isn't the long-term answer. Veteran Tyler Polumbus is just another body and a career right tackle.

Again, nobody is denying that Matthews struggled last season. However, it's way too early for the Falcons to give up on the guy they expect to be their anchor.