A former Kansas City Chiefs starter just signed a one-year deal for much less than what he would've earned had he not been released earlier this offseason.
A former Kansas City
Chiefs starter officially has a new home for the 2026 NFL season.
According to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Atlanta Falcons
have signed former Chiefs starting RT Jawaan Taylor to a one-year deal
. The contract reportedly includes a base value of $5 million, plus an additional $1 million in incentives that Taylor can earn.
If you'll recall, the Chiefs released Taylor this offseason as a salary cap casualty
. Taylor won't count toward the NFL's compensatory pick formula. The move cleared $20 million in cap space while incurring $7.3 million in dead money. Taylor originally signed a four-year contract worth $80 milllion with Kansas City back in 2023.
Taylor has started in 45 regular-season games and seven postseason games for Kansas City since joining the team in 2023.
There was some suspicion that the Chiefs might try to bring Taylor back in free agency if he remained on the market. However, the Falcons had a clear need for a starter after former first-round draft pick Kaleb McGary announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday. McGary suffered a significant leg injury ahead of the 2025 NFL season, which ultimately sparked the retirement decision.
Those curious about 2026 NFL Draft rumors surrounding the Chiefs' potential interest in an offensive tackle might take this news as a sign that the team is comfortable at the position. The cost of his contract was quite affordable, but there might be more to it for the Chiefs.
Penalty issues and the salary cap hit contributed to Taylor's departure from Kansas City. However, the knee injury Taylor has dealt with for the past few seasons was also a major concern. The 29-year-old played through the issue in 2024, which required constant drainage and offseason knee surgery. He even underwent a stem cell injection in his knee in Panama to try to fix the issue.
Chu Godrick
As things currently stand, Jaylon Moore is the likely starter at right tackle. He has the salary commensurate with a starter or swing tackle. Josh Simmons will start opposite at the left tackle position.
The post Atlanta Falcons quickly sign former Kansas City Chiefs starter to replace a first-round draft pick who suddenly retired appeared first on A to Z Sports .
