Michael Penix Jr. will play his first season as the Atlanta Falcons’ full-time starting quarterback without Kaleb McGary, the blindside protector his organization just signed to a two-year, $30 million contract extension.
The Falcons revealed their initial 53-man roster on Tuesday and placed McGary on injured reserve without the designation to return.
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McGary suffered a left leg injury on Aug. 20 during the final practice of Falcons training camp. He had to be carted off the field and then received an MRI.
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After Atlanta’s preseason finale, head coach Raheem Morris told reporters that McGary would miss “significant time.” As it turns out, McGary will be sidelined for the entire season. The news arrived the same month he signed his extension through the 2027 campaign.
The Falcons selected McGary out of Washington with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2019 draft. Since then, he has played close to 6,000 regular-season offensive snaps.
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A Day 1 starter at right tackle, McGary has been a staple on the Falcons’ offensive line the past six seasons. Last year marked the fourth time in his career that he’s allowed six or fewer sacks in a single season, according to Pro Football Focus. That said, he did concede 32 pressures, about double as many as he gave up in 2023 when he played only 195 fewer offensive snaps, per PFF.
The Falcons rewarded a 30-year-old McGary with his third contract knowing the starting right tackle job is the most important along an offensive line protecting Penix, a left-handed quarterback.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, backup swing tackle Storm Norton is out for 6-to-8 weeks with an ankle injury that required surgery. While Elijah Wilkinson filled in for McGary during the practice he got hurt in, he was held out of the final preseason game for precautionary reasons. Wilkinson has started 45 games over his first eight years in the NFL, including nine games with the Falcons at left guard in 2022.
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Another right tackle option for the Falcons is Michael Jerrell, whom Atlanta acquired in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday. Jerrell, a 2024 sixth-round pick, started three games for the Seahawks last season. The first start of his pro career came in Atlanta. Now he’s a member of the Falcons.
Someone will have to step up in McGary’s absence — as the team’s starting right tackle and as Penix’s blindside protector.
