NFL veteran offensive tackle Kaleb McGary signed a new contract with the Atlanta Falcons. McGary, a former first-round pick, has spent the entirety of his professional career with the Falcons.
Source: Kaleb McGary is signing back with the Falcons on a 3 year $34.5M deal.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2023
Kaleb McGary, Atlanta Falcons, Agree to Contract
As a first-round pick, the Atlanta Falcons had the right to exercise the fifth-year option in McGary’s contract. However, the team opted not to do that, and instead let the tackle hit free agency after 2022. That was a mistake, as McGary responded with what was possibly the best season of his career. Starting and appearing in all 17 games, McGary finished the season with an 86.6 PFF grade, good for the fourth-best mark out of 84 eligible players. While the Falcons themselves did not have a good season, Kaleb McGary had a great contract year.
Kaleb McGary originally entered the league as a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Selected by the Atlanta Falcons, the Washington product immediately earned the starting right tackle job and held on to the position throughout the year. The Falcons themselves went 7-9, finishing second in the NFC South and missed the postseason.
While injuries limited McGary to just 14 games in 2020, the right tackle still held on to the starting job while he was healthy enough to see the field. He, much like the Falcons themselves, had another solid yet unspectacular season, as the team finished with a disappointing 4-12 record.
In 2021, the Falcons improved their record to 7-10, although that still wasn’t good enough for the playoffs. McGary, meanwhile, played in 16 of those 17 games, starting each one at the right tackle position while providing protection in Matt Ryan’s final season with the team.
Since signing his rookie contract, Caleb McGary has played in 63 of a possible 66 games. He has yet to make the playoffs but has, interestingly enough, recovered three fumbles throughout the course of his four-year career.
Main Photo: Rich Barnes – USA Today Sports
