On paper, the Atlanta Falcons have one of the best offenses in the NFL. BIjan Robinson is the best running back in the NFL, Drake London is a top 10 receiver, and Kyle Pitts is one of the most physically gifted tight ends in NFL history, even if it hasn't resulted in superstar-level production.
All the Falcons truly need to be successful in 2026 is competent quarterback play from one of Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa. But they also have some question marks on the offensive line that need to be answered, most notably in protecting the blind side of their aforementioned QB tandem.
Atlanta has talent on the offensive line. Chris Lindstrom is a multi-time All-Pro. Matthew Bergeron and Jake Matthews are solid starters. Even Ryan Neuzil was one of the NFL's best centers in 2025. But losing Kaleb McGary has made the RT debacle interesting, as starting Jawaan Taylor is something that most Falcons fans are still skeptical about, as he's the worst yet most important player up front.
Jawaan Taylor holds a lot of power in how the Falcons will fare in 2026
The Dirty Birds have two left-handed QBs. Taylor will be their main blind side protector in 2026, and that's scary to think about. We saw how awful it was to watch Elijah Wilkinson start 17 games at right tackle last season, and he was the weak link that kept the OL from being among the league's best.
Taylor is a Super Bowl-winning offensive tackle with the Kansas City Chiefs. He blocked for Patrick Mahomes, but to say he did so at a high level would be wrong. According to Pro Football Focus, his 53.3 PFF grade ranked 80th of 89 qualified OTs, while his 43.8 run blocking grade ranked 88th of 89.
You're only as strong as your weakest link and the 29-year-old's primary issue is penalties. He was flagged for 13 penalties (which was tied for sixth in the NFL) in 2025, but across his three seasons in Kansas City, he was flagged a staggering 50 times. Wilkinson didn't fare much better penalty-wise, so hopefully legendary OL coach Bill Callahan will help clean up that part of his game.
Thankfully, there's reason to believe that the 2019 second-round pick will improve. Taylor had those piss-poor run blocking numbers, but he was also blocking for Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt. In 2026 he'll be blocking for a running back currently on a Hall of Fame trajectory in Bijan Robinson.
If the bar is "be better than Elijah Wilkinson", it shouldn't be all that difficult to clear in a better situation. However, cementing himself as Atlanta's right tackle of the future by keeping both Tua and Penix upright is an entirely different mountain to climb. If he's good, they could make the playoffs. If not, we could be in for a long season.
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