FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons starting right tackle Kaleb McGary will miss the entire 2025 season due to a leg injury sustained in the team’s final practice of training camp.
On Tuesday, the Falcons released their initial roster. Among their transactions required to meet the NFL’s roster reduction deadline was the placement of McGary on injured reserve — without a designation to return.
Each team is allotted two “injured reserve – designated to return” spots in which a player can be placed on injured reserve, not count toward the 53-man limit and return to action that season. The Falcons used their two spots on swing tackle Storm Norton and defensive lineman Ta’Quon Graham.
McGary injured his left leg last Wednesday early on in practice. Head coach Raheem Morris provided an update Friday after the Falcons’ preseason finale, saying McGary would miss “significant time.” That time is now known, and it will be the season’s entirety.
With McGary out for the season and Norton out for a reported six to eight weeks, the Falcons need to figure out who their starting right tackle will be come Sept. 7 when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers come to Atlanta for their Week 1 opener.
Offensive lineman Elijah Wilkinson filled in for McGary during 11-on-11 work last Wednesday in practice but was held out of Friday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys out of precaution. In that preseason game, rookie Jack Nelson and 2024 free-agent signing Brandon Parker took the majority of the offensive snaps at tackle. Nelson made the Falcons’ initial roster but Parker did not.
Earlier on Tuesday, it was reported that the Falcons made a trade with the Seattle Seahawks to acquire offensive lineman Michael Jerrell in exchange for a conditional 2027 seventh-round draft pick.
With waivers to clear and practice squads to still be determined, Atlanta’s initial roster is bound to change in the upcoming days — as early as Wednesday.
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