Kaleb McGary suffered an injury at Atlanta Falcons practice and his availability is uncertain. Swing tackle Storm Norton underwent ankle surgery with an expected 6–8 week recovery, likely sidelining him into October. Norton previously served as reliable insurance when McGary missed occasional games, providing solid pass protection and adequate run blocking. In-house depth looks thin: rookie Jack Nelson needs development, Elijah Wilkinson has not played right tackle in three years, and Brandon Parker has been inconsistent when pressed into action. The Falcons are likely to explore external veteran tackle options to shore up the position.
Per Schefter, swing tackle and key Kaleb McGary insurance Storm Norton had ankle surgery yesterday, which comes with a recovery timeline of 6-8 weeks. That would put him on track to return sometime in October, which is better than missing the season but makes for a very scary problem at this moment in time. Norton has become a valuable reserve because McGary generally misses a game or two every season, and Norton has the pass protection chops and solid enough run blocking ability to fill-in
Rookie Jack Nelson might be a good swing tackle in a year or two with work and experience, but preseason has suggested he's got a ways to go until he reaches that level, if he ever gets there. Elijah Wilkinson has been a capable enough fill-in before, in Atlanta and elsewhere, but hasn't played right tackle in three years now.
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