Falcons sign Taylor as McGary retires

The Atlanta Falcons' right tackle position stole headlines Wednesday.

First, Kaleb McGary retired from football, his agent, Collin Roberts, announced.

McGary made 92 regular-season starts for the Falcons, who drafted him as a first-round pick in 2019. However, the 31-year-old missed the entire 2025 season due to a leg injury.

The Falcons then agreed to sign Jawaan Taylor to a one-year deal, his agents told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Taylor's contract has a base value of $5 million and includes $1 million in incentives.

Taylor spent the past three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. The 28-year-old made 45 regular-season starts with Kansas City and was part of a Super Bowl-winning campaign. However, his Chiefs tenure was marked by a whopping 56 penalties.

McGary allowed 10 sacks over his final two seasons, according to PFF. He also stood out as a run-blocker and was under contract for two more years. He signed a two-year, $30-million extension in August, shortly before sustaining the leg injury.

"I truly enjoyed my time playing alongside Kaleb," said Falcons president of football and former quarterback Matt Ryan, according to team reporter Will McFadden. "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."

Atlanta's roster also features right tackles Storm Norton and Michael Jerrell. Elijah Wilkinson, who replaced McGary in 2025, joined the Arizona Cardinals this offseason.