Falcons OT Eyes Big 2025 After Ankle Surgery, Contract Talks Loom

The Atlanta Falcons' offensive tackle enters a contract year looking to show he's healthy and as ready to go as ever

McGary is ready to go out and prove his value | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga – After an offseason of tracking down bears, Kaleb McGary is back at Flowery Branch learning how to embrace a new responsibility – blind side protection. The added job title coincides with what could be the last season McGary is guaranteed to be an Atlanta Falcon.

As he enters the final year of his contract, McGary was notably absent from offseason workouts. Speculation came about that he was skipping amid potential contract negotiations, but he quickly confirmed it was purely out of caution with an ankle that received a scope earlier this offseason. 

The joint, McGary says, has been something he’s been dealing with for the last few years, and the procedure was simply to shave off a few bone spurs that had accumulated over time. 

“I don’t know if I’ve had a joint feel this good in a long time,” McGary said to the media after the Falcons’ first day of training camp. “It was time to solve [the ankle] once and for all. I wanted to be done with it.” 

There is still an unavoidable reality about where his contract stands. 

The 30-year-old McGary signed his three-year extension for $34.5 million back before the 2023 season, but he, at least on the surface, doesn’t seem too worried about what could come next. 

“I’ve still got this season left on this [deal] and there’s nothing really going on right now. I’m worrying about this year first,” he said when asked about where his contract negotiations stand. “I’m not really worried about [what could come next]. I’m worried about this season because if I don’t do my job well enough, then there’s not much reason to worry about it. One thing at a time.” 

McGary is entering his seventh season on the right side of the Falcons' line of scrimmage. While often unfairly scrutinized, McGary has been one of the better run blockers in the NFL. PFF gave him a 77.7 run-blocking grade, which would rank 16th among offensive tackles. 

Playing the role of punishing run blocker has been a good spot for him in an offense that has been one of the NFL’s best over the last few seasons. The Falcons, with their 7,096 team rushing totals, have the fourth most yards on the ground since 2022 – trailing only the Ravens, Eagles, and Bears.

Running back Bijan Robinson has particularly felt the love from his right tackle. 

“Having a guy like that to run behind makes you smile,” Robinson told the media on Wednesday about his right tackle. “When Kaleb is going, and he’s on, he’s scary to get in front of. No one wants to be in front of him because he’ll growl at you… The dude kills bears for fun.” 

Robinson has made a point never to get on McGary’s bad side and shared this funny story from a time last season when someone from the Saints crossed him. 

Falcons running back Bijan Robinson on whether he has any good stories from running behind offensive tackle Kaleb McGary: “Heck yes.”

Goes on to share this moment against the Saints… pic.twitter.com/Bnqu9xhSlE

— Terrin Waack (@TerrinWaack) July 23, 2025

“Most of my good memories are watching Bijan’s butt fly past me,” McGary said about his memories of that play. “That’s all I’m looking for, and if I see that, I know I’ve done a good job.”

Chris Lindstrom has had a front-row seat to the development of McGary. The Falcons’ All-Pro right guard has been McGary's running mate ever since the two entered the league together in 2019, and he echoed a lot of that praise.  

“He’s a physical tone setter in the run game,” Lindstrom said. “He does things that are unfathomable in the NFL, just the things he can do to people.” 

The Falcons have largely underplayed the value of the “blindside” in the modern NFL, and particularly the offense that Zac Robinson runs. In this offense, the traditional value placed on blindside protection is somewhat diminished due to quicker reads and mobility at quarterback. 

Still, McGary's role in protecting Michael Penix Jr. remains critical, especially as he looks to prove himself in pass protection after another somewhat disappointing 2024 in this regard. His 63.8 PFF pass-blocking grade came in at 56th league-wide. 

“The pass is just communication and doing a great job with each other,” Lindstrom said, underplaying the individuality of pass blocking. “I think, now heading into seven years with each other, we have a great understanding. It’s just about working out our timing and details so we can be at our best as a right side for Mike [Penix].” 

With McGary back healthy and alongside his longtime running mate Chris Lindstrom, the Falcons’ right side has the tools to be one of the NFL’s most dependable duos. The pair will be counted on for a Falcons offense that is expecting to be one of the league’s best in 2025. 

Whether it’s bears in the woods or defenders on the field, McGary is ready for whatever comes next.