The Atlanta Falcons need to end the Kaleb McGary experiment

When the Atlanta Falcons traded back into the first round with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019, it was interesting to see who then general manager Thomas Dimitroff was wanting to select after picking Chris Lindstrom 14th overall. When the pick was announced as offensive tackle Kaleb McGary out of Washington, I’ll be honest: the first reaction was “Who is this dude?”

As a caveat, please understand that my knowledge of college football is right near the bottom of the barrel, to the point that when Atlanta picks players, it’s usually a high probability that I’ve never heard of them. Like McGary, the same mindset was used on guys like Vic Beasley, Takk McKinley, and Keanu Neal.

Much like two of the three aforementioned names, though, there is one consistent factor that now McGary is being joined in.

The Atlanta Falcons must admit this was a failed pick, much like in 2008, and get rid of the weakest link on the line.

Let’s also be clear here: this is not another ploy to say Matt Ryan played well in the last two games, because holy mackerel, was he laughably bad. Six interceptions in the last four games with less than 200 yards passing in three of them make the win against New Orleans look like a complete anomaly at this point.

This is an argument that most fans will never truly agree with, primarily because they don’t watch film.

If  the five guys up front can’t protect the quarterback you’re not going to win very often in the NFL

Also, this is not trying to knack on another “weak link” on the line in Jalen Mayfield, because while he’s still a major work in progress for the Falcons, at least he’s flashed (however briefly). That said, it’s still difficult to understand how PFF graded him 90.6 during the debacle against the Cowboys after being planted on a bull rush.

Back to McGary, though. It’s understandable about his health issues (which were serious, no question) that potentially have taken away some of his skills. Ask any athlete, and most will agree that once the burst is gone, it’s hard to truly regain it. However, even coming out of college, scouts mentioned that his feet “fall asleep on the line and is susceptible to pass rushes”.

Yet, consistently for the Falcons, whenever an opposing defensive player gets a sack, it’s almost always on McGary’s side of the line. Whether it be Micah Parsons utilizing the “dead leg” for a strip-sack (which McGary recovered) to watching Matt Judon beat him clean on primetime, he just isn’t working anymore.

For the sake of the Atlanta Falcons, they need to either look at some free agent targets or try Matt Gono if he’s healthy enough to come back.

Otherwise, this tweet from Fox5’s Miles Garrett will ring true for the remainder of the season: