Falcons Starting OL To 'Miss Significant Time' With Injury

Atlanta Falcons right tackle Kaleb McGary suffered a leg injury in Wednesday's practice.

Atlanta Falcons offensive tackle Kaleb McGary is set to miss "significant time" with a leg injury. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga – The Atlanta Falcons’ worst fears were put on hold after right tackle Kaleb McGary injured his leg on Wednesday during their final training camp of the summer. His timetable for a return remains unknown, but head coach Raheem Morris said he will miss “significant time” and that an injured reserved designation could soon follow with more details. 

Raheem Morris says RT Kaleb McGary is expected to miss “significant time” due to his injury. Mentioned an IR designation could be coming.

— Will McFadden (@willmcfadden) August 23, 2025

While this is still a significant setback, the Falcons may still have avoid what otherwise would have been a devastating blow to what had been one of the NFL’s most durable offensive lines.

"The thing I will say to you now is that he [McGary] will miss significant time," Morris said after the game against the Dallas Cowboys. "Looks like it will be IR, whatever the case may be, we will have to see there, but he will miss significant time for us."

The injury happened at some point during the early portions of Wednesday’s practice, the team’s final training camp this summer. McGary’s teammates gathered around him, showing their support as he was carted off the field. 

He was then seen having difficulty walking on his own as he made his way to the locker room, but his leg was not put in an aircast before leaving the field. With the full extent of his injury unknown, a team spokesperson said McGary would undergo further testing on his knee. 

McGary, who just signed a two-year, $30 million extension with the team a few weeks ago, has been a mainstay along the Falcons’ offensive line since being drafted in the first round in 2019. He has appeared in 93 games (92 starts) at right tackle in that time, developing a reputation as a nasty run blocker.  

Continuity had been the best friend of this offensive line, with McGary, Jake Matthews, Chris Lindstrom, and Matthew Bergeron combined to miss just one start last season. Depth, however, has been a concern for the Falcons along the offensive line, and this could be a very concerning injury for the Falcons this season. 

Making matters more complicated for the Falcons, swing tackle Storm Norton reportedly underwent ankle surgery, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 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. 

The next man up right now is Elijah Wilkinson, but he does little to inspire confidence as a potential starting option in Atlanta. 

"Elijah has played a lot of football in the National Football League. He's played a lot for us," Morris said after holding Wilkinson out against the Cowboys. "He's been here with us throughout the course of the last year, throughout the course of this year, and we are fired up to get these guys out there and watch those guys play and compete to see who's going to be able to go out there vs Tampa."

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

His versatility does provide the Falcons with a unique solution. 

Left guard Matthew Bergeron has experience playing both right and left tackle, going back to his time at Syracuse. The third-year offensive lineman transitioned to guard in the NFL and has since started all 34 games for the Falcons on the interior, but could be a ‘break in case of emergency’ option if McGary needed to miss more time.  

The consistency Bergeron shows at left guard, and his already established relationship between left tackle Jake Matthews and center Ryan Neuzil, would make this an unlikely route for the Falcons to take. 

Also on the roster are tackles Brandon Parker and rookie seventh-rounder Jack Nelson. Parker does have starting experience (59 games, 33 starts, at right tackle through five seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders), but neither he nor Nelson should be considered locks for the roster, much less a viable starting option. 

Neither played particularly well in Friday’s loss to the Cowboys. 

General manager Terry Fontenot was seen talking with head coach Raheem Morris after practice on Wednesday, but neither was made available for comment. Fontenot may still opt to pursue other depth options, whether via trade or on the waiver after roster cuts are made official on Tuesday. 

The regular season is just a few weeks away, and the Falcons are feeling pressure to reach postseason play for the first time in seven years. Wednesday’s injury to McGary just added yet another hurdle for the franchise to clear.