Things happen fast in the NFL, and the Atlanta Falcons have been at the center of that all thus far in the 2026 offseason. The coaching staff and front office suddenly look a lot different than they did just a few months ago, and the team even signed a potential new starting quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa.
The Falcons aren't that far away from at least realistically competing for the NFC South in 2026, and given how weak the division is, it would not be outrageous to suggest that the Falcons could win the division if Tagovailoa wins the starting job and plays like he did in the 2022-2024 seasons with the Miami Dolphins.
On paper, the Falcons sport one of the more talented offenses in the NFL, but a shocking retirement on Wednesday should prompt head coach Kevin Stefanski to pursue a logical replacement who he has experience with.
Atlanta Falcons must sign Jack Conklin following shocking Kaleb McGary retirement
After six years in the NFL, not including the 2025 season, long-time Falcons right tackle Kaleb McGary retired, and all of a sudden, the Falcons don't have a clear answer at the position:
Falcons OT Kaleb McGary has announced his retirement from the NFL. https://t.co/RL3AxUHSQM
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 8, 2026
McGary recently turned 31 years old and was a first-round pick by the Falcons back in the 2019 NFL Draft. He ended up starting 92 of 93 regular-season games and cemented himself as a reliable presence on the right side of the offensive line. Never a truly great player, McGary was thoroughly competent if nothing else.
McGary didn't play in the 2025 season due to a knee injury, but it seemed like the team was expecting him to return to the lineup for 2026. With that now not being the case, the Falcons should dip into some Stefanski connections and bring in Jack Conklin.
Conklin was released by the Browns back in March. He and Stefanski overlapped with the Browns for his entire coaching tenure, the 2020-2025 seasons. Conklin turns 32 years old this summer and has struggled with injuries.
In the 2018, 2021, 2023, and 2025 seasons, Conklin has played in single-digit games. Since the start of the 2021 campaign, he's played in just 42 games. Sure, it might not make much sense for the Falcons to pursue a short-term replacement who can't stay on the field, but if anyone knows the type of offense that Stefanski wants to run, it would be one of his long-time tackles.
The Falcons should at least pursue this option on cheap deal for one season. At worst, Conklin likely ends up missing more time in 2026, but he's also played a ton of games and can get on the field. When he is on the field, there aren't many right tackles better at their jobs.
And seeing as this retirement is a bit of a shock, bringing in someone with familiarity makes sense.