Falcons sign Patrick Mahomes protector after Kaleb McGary’s retirement

On Wednesday afternoon, the Atlanta Falcons got some unexpected news when it was announced that offensive lineman Kaleb McGary was retiring from the NFL after seven seasons. The move opened up a gaping hole on the Falcons’ offensive line, a unit that had been among the best in the NFL over the last couple of seasons.

Not long after McGary’s announcement, the Falcons attempted to help fill that void with a signing in free agency.

“Falcons and former Chiefs free-agent offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor reached agreement today on a one-year deal with a base value of $5 million and an additional $1 million in incentives, per his agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey,” reported ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter on X, formerly Twitter.

The swiftness with which the Falcons made the signing of Taylor might indicate that they had some advanced warning of McGary’s impending retirement, although nothing has been confirmed on that front as of yet.

Taylor is a former second round draft pick who won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs in the 2023-24 season and started 12 games for Kansas City a year ago before going out for the season with an injury, and then being released.

Who Taylor and the rest of the offensive line will be working to protect is still a question mark at this point, as Michael Penix Jr.’s status for the upcoming season, or at least the start of it, is up in the air on the heels of his latest ACL injury. The team signed former Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on the free agent market this year in order to add more depth to that positional room.

In any case, the Falcons’ schedule for the 2026 season is slated to be released next month.

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