The Atlanta Falcons
will have to pivot following some recent news. A massive roster hole is now glaring along their offense, and they have to figure it out sooner rather than later.
It won't be an easy task for their new front office and coaching staff, though.
Kaleb McGary announces retirement from NFL
According to the offensive tackle's agent, Kaleb McGary is retiring from football. He is just 31 years old and was slated to start at right tackle again in 2026 for Atlanta. McGary started 92 games over six seasons with the Falcons .
"I truly enjoyed my time playing alongside Kaleb," Falcons president of football Matt Ryan , who played with McGary from 2019-21, said in a statement. "He was an outstanding teammate and had a tremendous career as a Falcon. We are grateful for the impact he made on this organization, and we wish him nothing but the best in retirement." — ESPN
McGary was known for his upside as a run blocker during his time in the pros, but a knee injury prevented him from playing a single snap in 2025. He suffered the injury during training camp.
Atlanta's plan to replace him
The Falcons cannot take this process lightly. Both of their starting QB options for 2026 are left-handed. That means their RT is the blindside protector for whoever is starting at signal-caller.
Accordingly, the fact that Atlanta does not have a first-round pick this year due to the James Pearce Jr.
trade from last year's draft only compounds this issue. The proven, experienced starting options remaining in free agency do not instill much confidence.
As of now, Storm Norton is a potential replacement on the roster currently. That would be less than ideal, though, as he has never been a full-time starter at a high level during his NFL career.
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