Kaleb McGary injury update: Falcons RT to miss time after being carted off during practice, per report
The blindside protector for Michael Penix Jr. suffered an apparent lower leg injury on Wednedsay
The Atlanta Falcons saw one of their key offensive linemen go down in practice Wednesday, as right tackle Kaleb McGary suffered an apparent lower leg injury and was carted off the field. The injury will result in McGary missing an uncertain amount of time, according to a report by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Thursday.
McGary recently received a two-year, $30 million contract extension to keep him as the blindside protector for their young left-handed quarterback Michael Penix Jr. through the 2027 season. The severity of McGary's injury is unknown -- a source cited by Fowler said that McGary's injury timetable is currently unclear -- but any extended absence would be a significant blow to the Falcons' offensive line.
McGary enters his seventh season with the Falcons since being selected with the 31st overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Washington. He started 92 games for the Falcons over the last six seasons and has been a trusted anchor on the right side of the line.
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If McGary misses regular season action, the Falcons' tackle depth is a bit shaky. Swing tackle Storm Norton missed much of camp with a lower body injury and Adam Schefter reported Wednesday he will be out 6-8 weeks after having ankle surgery. Elijah Wilkinson played left tackle and left guard during the Falcons' first two preseason games, but now might have to move to right tackle in McGary's absence. According to the Falcons' team reporters, Wilkinson took over at right tackle for the remainder of practice following McGary's injury.
The Falcons have high hopes for their offense this season with Penix at the helm, a star running back behind him in Bijan Robinson and Drake London as his top receiving target. However, for the Falcons' offense to operate at its highest level, Penix will need time in the pocket and Robinson will need holes to hit in the run game, and losing McGary for an extended period of time would be a significant blow for both.
