Matt Hennessy is going into his third season with a year’s worth of experience as a starter already under his belt. Although Drew Dalman, a second-year lineman, may put up a valiant fight, he is currently the early favorite to keep his position as the starting center. Hennessy does a good job of run blocking, but he needs to work on his pass protection if he wants to keep the job in the long run.
It’s safe to say that Hennessy’s second season and his first as a starter were a mixed bag of experiences. He occasionally showed very strong run-blocking abilities, but his pass protection was consistently poor.
Hennessy occasionally had trouble making the correct calls for protection against some of the most complex blitzes he encountered, as should be anticipated for an inexperienced center. Hennessy found power and size to be more difficult than quickness, and he’ll need to concentrate on developing his strength and anchor for the 2022 campaign.
Hennessy’s route to the starting position in 2022 appears to be quite obvious, and a matchup with Drew Dalman is anticipated during training camp. The competition may be more intense than anticipated because Dalman has also shown good play as a spot starter when needed last season.
Hennessy will certainly have the advantage once more due to his experience and skill as a run blocker, but he must enhance his pass protection in order to prevent the Falcons from seeking a long-term upgrade in the offseason.
How Much Does Matt Hennessy Make?
Matt Hennessy gets paid an average of $1,186,141 per year. Hennessy’s base salary in 2022 will be $1,041,323. His cap hit will be $1,293,971, and his dead cap value will be $505,296.