It’s not great news for the Falcons, but it’s better for McGary.
The Atlanta Falcons lost their starting center and right tackle last night, a contributing factor for their struggles on the ground in particular against the Chiefs. Drew Dalman and Kaleb McGary are both excellent run blocking offensive linemen who do decent-to-good work in pass protection depending on the week, and both are vital pieces of this team’s line. We held our breath and hoped both would be out for a very short time.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, that’s not going to be the case. Injury updates from NFL insider Ian Rapoport came pending MRIs, and neither one indicates a quick turnaround time.
More #Falcons O-line news: Center Drew Dalman suffered a high-ankle sprain in the loss to the #Chiefs and is undergoing an MRI. He’s expected to miss time and IR/designated to return is possible. But the MRI will tell the full story. https://t.co/uC86j3iEUU
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 23, 2024
Originally, it sounded like McGary might miss weeks with an MCL sprain, which is not a fun injury. Now, insider Jordan Schultz reports that he’s considered “day-to-day,” which may put his availability for Sunday in doubt but should mean a fairly quick return for Atlanta’s right tackle. That’s a spot of great, welcome news for this team.
Source: #Falcons veteran RT Kaleb McGary, who left Sunday night’s game with a knee injury, is considered “day-to-day” after undergoing further testing. A sigh of relief for Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/CQOp017B9Z
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 23, 2024
Dalman, however, is probably out longer. High ankle sprains are painful, tricky injuries to recover from, and I’d set the floor on time out for Dalman at a month unless it’s a very mild sprain. The risk of aggravating that injury will likely lead the Falcons to be pretty conservative with him (again, I am not a doctor!), so something like 6-8 weeks could be a more realistic possibility.
It’s a big problem for Dalman both because the Falcons need him and because they don’t have a Norton in the wings. Ryan Neuzil is a talented, versatile player, but his on-field results have been decidedly mixed in the regular season when he has had to fill in, and he may now have to do so for a long time. The hope is that with regular playing time and practice as the starter, Neuzil can settle in, but the Falcons do have Jovaughn Gwyn around as a potential alternative if Neuzil struggles. I’m hoping for the best, because Neuzil has had great stretches in preseason.
We’ll update this story or write a new one once the MRI results and timetables become more concrete, but right now I’d brace yourself to not see McGary for a short while and Dalman for a while. The Falcons will have to overcome that as they gear up for three straight games against the NFC South.