The Atlanta Falcons were without Storm Norton for all of last season after he suffered an injury during training camp and was designated to return--but never did. And the same story is playing out in 2026, as Norton was placed on the reserve/PUP list during OTAs after Atlanta traded for Wanya Morris.
And now that Norton is set to be sidelined for the season, the Falcons are looking for someone new to take on the role of their new swing tackle. The early belief was that Morris would receive the call, but a new challenger has emerged for this spot during training camp and now in the preseason.
Michael Jerrell was once looked at as an easy cut candidate after he failed to win the right tackle job over Elijah Wilkinson last year. During practice, Jerrell has gotten most of his work at right tackle, even mixing in for some first-team reps before Jawaan Taylor returned from the active/PUP list.
Is Michael Jerrell going to be the Atlanta Falcons' new swing tackle?
So, naturally you'd think he'd be insurance in case Taylor gets hurt again, but they also need insurance for the injured Jake Matthews. They were never planning to audition him as a left tackle until injuries to Matthews and Morris forced their hand--but he answered the call to look like a nice swing tackle.
During the Dirty Birds' first two preseason games, the 27-year-old has played a combined 72 snaps per Pro Football Focus--and every single rep was at left tackle. And while he was flagged three times and was a total liability against the Broncos, Jerrell looked like a force to be reckoned with in Indy.
While he recorded the third-lowest run-blocking grade (48.9) on the team in the preseason opener, he logged the third-highest grade (72.2) in that area eight days later. And not only that, he was one of the most impressive run blockers during Tyler Goodson's 49-yard rushing score. He mauled his defender.
Both of their absences have flung the door open for the 2024 sixth-rounder to get additional reps as one of their more trusted backups on the OL. So even though they didn't ask him to be, Jerrell has proven to be productive at both tackle spots, and that is going to be a blessing for his roster hopes.
Michael Jerrell went from being firmly on the roster bubble to a roster lock--and the big reason why is his versatility. His ability to adjust to playing both tackle spots mirrors that of Storm Norton's, and he's proving the Falcons may have found a quality swing tackle without going out of their way to find one.
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