Falcons Could Be Down 2 Offensive Tackles vs. Bucs In Season Opener

McGary's injury comes just 18 days from the 2025 season opener that will see the Falcons start the year facing NFC South rival Tampa Bay in Atlanta. The Falcons also placed another offensive tackle, Tyrone Wheatley, on injured reserve on Wednesday after the 28-year-old was waived injured but not claimed by another team.

The Bucs will be without a starting offensive tackle of their own, as All-Pro Tristan Wirfs will miss the start of the season as he recovers from knee surgery. Tampa Bay will be without three starters on offense as Wirfs, McMillan and wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. will all be out of action for Week 1 in Atlanta.

But the Falcons potentially losing their starting right tackle in McGary and backup tackle in Norton means that Atlanta will have to rely on starting a third-string tackle in Brandon Parker against the Bucs, which is far from ideal. Atlanta is also expected to be without starting inside linebacker Troy Andersen, who is slow to recover from an early-season knee injury last year, and possibly starting wide receiver Darnell Mooney, wh o suffered a shoulder injury on the first day of training camp.

Edge rusher Jalon Walker, the Falcons' first-round pick, is dealing with a groin injury and his status for Week 1 in unknown. The same can be said for nickelback Clark Phillips III, who is dealing with a rib injury. Neither will play in Atlanta's preseason finale.

Bucs OLB Haason Reddick Could Be Primed For A Big Day vs. Falcons

What makes possibly losing two right tackles in Atlanta significant is the fact that starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is left-handed. That means that right tackle Kaleb McGary serves as Penix's blindside pass protector.

If Atlanta is forced to start six-year veteran Brandon Parker, the team's third-string tackle, against Tampa Bay in place of McGary and top backup Storm Norton, he would face Bucs newcomer Haason Reddick, who would be making his debut in red and pewter.

Reddick, a two-time Pro Bowler, had four consecutive double-digit sack seasons from 2020-23 before a bizarre season in New York last year with the Jets. Reddick held out during the offseason, training camp and the first seven games before notching just sack in New York.

Reddick signed a one-year, prove-it deal with Tampa Bay and aims to show the league he is still one of the NFL's premier pass rushers.

Reddick rushes from the left side of the defensive line and goes against right tackles. Parker has had a nondescript career in the NFL, never receiving a grade higher than 58 from Pro Football Focus for his five years with the Las Vegas Raiders, who drafted him in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. At 6-foot-8, 320 pounds, Parker has a massive frame, but has struggled with speed rushers in his career, allowing 23 sacks in 33 career starts.

After moving on from the Raiders, Parker signed with the Falcons in 2024 but didn't see any action. He re-signed with Atlanta on a one-year, league-minimum deal this offseason.