Falcons ink former Chiefs OT to 1-year deal after Kaleb McGary retires
The Atlanta Falcons lost their starting right tackle, Kaleb McGary, to retirement on April 8. The team didn't waste much time replacing the 2019 first-round pick.
The Falcons are signing veteran offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor to a one-year deal, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. The deal will be worth a base value of $5 million with an additional value of $1 million in incentives.
Taylor spent the last three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs after signing a four-year, $80 million deal during the 2023 offseason. He struggled to live up to the deal, committing a whopping 50 penalties and allowing 15 sacks while manning the team's right tackle position.
The Chiefs released Taylor following the 2025 NFL season - during which he graded as Pro Football Focus' 76th offensive tackle among 84 qualifiers - to create $20 million in cap space.
Taylor signing with the Falcons should position him to occupy his familiar right tackle role with the Falcons, albeit at a significant discount from his original 2026 salary.
It will also be a slightly more difficult assignment for Taylor, as Atlanta's top two quarterbacks - Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa - are both left-handed. That means Taylor is currently penciled in as the blindside blocker in front of the two oft-injured quarterbacks.
Here's more to know about Taylor's fit with the Falcons.
Jawaan Taylor contract detailsTaylor signed a one-year deal to join the Falcons. He will make a base value of $5 million as part of the deal and has an additional $1 million available via incentives.
Taylor's average annual value (AAV) of $5 million ranks 23rd among NFL right tackles, per OverTheCap.com. It's also a third of McGary's $15 million AAV.
Jawaan Taylor statsTaylor has played in more than 100 career games since being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Below is a look at the notable stats from his seven-year career:
- Games: 111
- Starts: 111
- Penalties committed: 89
- Sacks allowed: 43
Taylor won Super Bowl 58 in his first season with the Chiefs. He has started nine postseason games during his career, two with Jacksonville and seven with Kansas City, and committed six penalties while allowing no sacks in those contests.
How does Jawaan Taylor fit with the Falcons?Taylor currently projects to be Atlanta's starting right tackle, and he gives the team needed experience at the position in the wake of McGary's retirement.
That said, the rate at which the Falcons are compensating Taylor indicates they aren't completely sold on him being a top-end starter. As such, the team could look to bring in competition for the 28-year-old with one of their five selections in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Falcons will not be on the clock until the 48th selection, as they traded their first-round pick (No. 13 overall) to the Los Angeles Rams during the 2025 NFL Draft for the right to select James Pearce Jr. Potential offensive tackles who could be available at that juncture include Max Iheanachor and Caleb Tiernan, among others.
Of course, Atlanta isn't guaranteed to draft a tackle it believes will be ready to be a Week 1 blindside starter for the team. As such, Taylor provides the Falcons with solid insurance as a veteran stopgap, giving the team more flexibility as it looks to upgrade its roster ahead of Kevin Stefanski's first season in Atlanta.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jawaan Taylor signs one-year contract with Atlanta Falcons