Does the 2026 Draft Strategy Shift for the Atlanta Falcons After a Sudden Retirement?
It seems like nothing can go right for the Atlanta Falcons recently. From their disappointing 2025 season to their budding star James Pearce getting into legal trouble, they now lose their long-time starting right tackle. Kaleb McGary has decided to call it a career after spending six years as the Falcons' starting right tackle. The now 31-year-old started his NFL career off slowly before finding solid production for Atlanta. Unfortunately, before the 2025 regular season began, McGary suffered a severe knee injury that ended his season and effectively his career. With his sudden retirement, light is now being shed on Atlanta’s potential weakness at the tackle position. The Falcons six-year tackle’s retirement may force Atlanta to reevaluate its plans for the upcoming draft in two weeks.
McGary’s retirement leaves Atlanta’s tackle room looking a fair bit vulnerable. Long-time stalwart Jake Matthews, who will be entering his 13th season, will be paired up with Super Bowl Champion Jawaan Taylor as the starting tackle duo for the 2026 season. On paper, it’s not the worst duo by any means. Atlanta should get at least a few quality starts from the two veterans for the upcoming season; the problem lies in the team’s future at the position. Matthews will be 34 at the start of the 2026 season, while Taylor only signed a one-year deal with the team. It seems that the former Kansas City Chief is only a temporary patch at tackle, leaving the Dirty Birds with a concerning future on the edges of the offensive line. To make things worse, the Rams own the Falcons’ first-round pick for the 2026 draft. If general manager Ian Cunningham wants to draft for the future, he and his team will have to do so on day two and day three of the draft.
This leaves the Falcons’ faithful with a question: Does the draft strategy fluctuate because of McGary’s retirement? If Atlanta had what would have been the 13th overall pick, more than likely, however, they would have no first-round picks for this upcoming draft. Atlanta would have been in a prime position to draft a premium tackle like Utah prospect Spencer Fano or the University of Miami’s Francisco Mauigoa. That is not a luxury the Falcons have, unfortunately for them. All signs point to more can-kicking at the tackle position, more than likely using their first pick on day two on either a cornerback or a wide receiver, two much weaker positions than tackle. Depth in the trenches is still another weakness that will need to be addressed during draft night.
If Cunningham does decide to change course during draft night, the potential tackle prospects left on the board could bear some fruit. Staying put at the 48th pick, the Falcons could land Clemson’s Blake Miller. The four-year Clemson Tiger had 54 consecutive starts in Death Valley and is arguably the most athletic tackle in the entire draft. He has work to do, as he is prone to having messy footwork and sometimes overextending against edge defenders. Another tackle prospect worth taking with their day two pick is redshirt senior from Northwestern, Claeb Tiernan. Tiernan’s best trait is his pass protection. Despite his shorter arms, he’s been a proven five-year starter and leader for the Wildcats. However, cornerback and wide receiver are still more pressing needs for Atlanta that they haven’t fully addressed through free agency. Aiding the boundaries both offensively and defensively is mandatory for their success in 2026. Regardless of who they draft, Cunningham will have to answer yet another problem the former regime has put on him and the team, whether it be this upcoming draft or a future one. Time is ticking at the tackle position, and Atlanta could be scrambling for replacements sooner rather than later.
