Atlanta Falcons right tackle Kaleb McGary left Wednesday’s practice with a possible serious leg injury. As a consequence, he could miss a lot of time. The injury occurred just prior to the start of the team’s first full practice with 11-on-11 contact. This cast further doubt on McGary’s ability to play for the upcoming season. Head coach Raheem Morris announced that McGary would be out with the injury for “significant time.”
McGary had his left knee scoped during the offseason. He failed the ensuing physical because of weight issues and had to sit out spring practices. In the face of these odds, the Falcons signed him earlier this week to a two-year, $30 million contract extension. This decision locks him in as a central figure on their young offensive line. McGary, a first-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, has been the fulcrum of the team’s offensive line-heavy scheme ever since.
Should McGary miss any time, the Falcons will find themselves with a massive hole on the right side of their offensive line to go along with that. Elijah Wilkinson felt Taylor McGary’s absence at practice on Thursday and would be the next man up should McGary miss time. Wilkinson brings experience to the role, having started 19 games at right tackle for the Denver Broncos during the 2019 and 2020 seasons and nine games for the Falcons at left guard in 2022.
As the Falcons look ahead to protecting their roster with McGary’s situation, the team has additional options. The team is allowed to put two players on IR without any penalty. They do not have to put them on the 53-man roster or subject them to waivers. This change might allow them to overcome the obstacles created by McGary’s possible year-long departure from the team.
The injury comes as the Falcons were starting to get things set for the 2024 season. Second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. looks to build on a strong debut campaign. With this new development, the team will have to learn to play fast and adjust quickly to keep from losing their offensive fluidity.
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