Code Red on Atlanta Falcons Offensive Line as Injuries Mount

The Atlanta Falcons suddenly find themselves in critical condition at right tackle after Kaleb McGary went down and injury news on Storm Norton broke.

Atlanta Falcons swing tackle Storm Norton is set to miss 6-8 weeks, according to NFL Insider Adam Schefter. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga – The Atlanta Falcons were already dealt a potentially devastating blow when right tackle Kaleb McGary was carted off the field with an apparent leg injury this morning, but another brutal blow came just a few hours later. 

According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, offensive tackle Storm Norton has reportedly undergone ankle surgery. The primary swing tackle for the Falcons is now expected to miss the next six to eight weeks, giving him a timeline of returning between Week 4 and Week 6. 

Falcons OT Storm Norton underwent ankle surgery Tuesday and is now expected to miss 6-8 weeks, per source.

Then today offensive tackle Kaleb McGary and was carted off with a leg injury that necessitated an MRI.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 20, 2025

Norton has started four games at right tackle for the Falcons when McGary has been out with an injury between 2023 and 2024, and he’s performed admirably. The Falcons can ill afford to lose both McGary and Norton, but they have in the matter of two hours. 

The next man up right now is Elijah Wilkinson. The nine-year NFL veteran has appeared in 77 games (45 starts) at both tackle and guard for the Falcons, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, and Arizona Cardinals. He appeared in one game in 2024 and started nine games for the team in 2022 at left guard. 

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Wilkinson started the preseason game against the Detroit Lions at left guard, but then shifted out to tackle last Friday against the Tennessee Titans. 

Also on the roster are tackles Brandon Parker and rookie seventh-rounder Jack Nelson. Parker had spent nearly his entire career with the Las Vegas Raiders, appearing in 59 games (33 starts) at right tackle through five seasons. He spent 2024 with the San Francisco 49ers, but did not play. 

To this point in camp, neither Jackson nor Parker has done much to inspire confidence that they could handle the reps at the right tackle position if called upon. 

McGary updates are still pending, but Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot will likely be picking up the phone to start trying to add swing tackle options if more bad news comes their way this afternoon with the results of McGary’s MRI.