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FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — On last day of open training camp practices, the Atlanta Falcons' right tackle position became an immediate concern for the 2025 season.
During Wednesday's session, starter Kaleb McGary, who signed an extension this offseason, was carted off from practice and a team official later confirmed he will get an MRI for a leg injury. Shortly after practice, ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted that reserve tackle Storm Norton underwent ankle surgery on Tuesday and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks, according to a source.
Norton has been a reliable backup swing tackle for the Falcons the past two seasons, although he's missed a significant portion of camp this year due to the injury. His absence has created questions about the team's tackle depth, which are now magnified due to McGary's departure from practice. If neither player is available for the start of the season, the Falcons will need to quickly find someone they trust to protect quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s blindside.
The other tackles currently listed on Atlanta's roster are Brandon Parker and rookie Jack Nelson, but they've worked on cross-training players at multiple positions in recent weeks and Elijah Wilkinson is a player who has begun to get more reps at tackle. Those are the notable in-house candidates at the moment, but roster cutdowns provide another opportunity to add players ahead of the season. Atlanta's pro personnel group keeps tabs on players across the league all year long, and their database will be valuable in a time such as this.
The NFL deadline for teams to cut rosters down to 53 players is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. Atlanta has one preseason game remaining before then, Friday night against the Dallas Cowboys. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET.