Falcons sign offensive tackle Kaleb McGary to a two-year extension

After some speculation about his future in Atlanta, the Falcons came to terms with offensive tackle Kaleb McGary on a two-year extension.

The Atlanta Falcons took a break from training camp to take care of a little unfinished business. On Tuesday afternoon, the team announced a two-year, $30M extension for offensive tackle Kaleb McGary. McGary, 30, has started for the Falcons ever since he was drafted 31st overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. This marks his second extension with Atlanta and keeps him under contract through the 2027 season.

After an up-and-down start to his NFL career, McGary settled in at right tackle and became an absolute force as a run blocker. His pass protection, while inconsistent at times, has largely improved as well. McGary is a reliable presence on the offensive line who now takes on added importance as the blindside protector for the left-handed Michael Penix Jr.

There was a bit of intrigue around McGary’s future status with the team, given his previous struggles in pass protection and the likely move to a more pass-focused offense with Penix Jr. at the helm. After an extension wasn’t reached earlier in the offseason, it initially seemed like the team might allow McGary to play out his contract and potentially walk in 2026 free agency.

Personally, I always thought that was unlikely. McGary is a good offensive tackle, and those are hard enough to find when you’ve got a full complement of resources. The Falcons traded away their 2026 first-round pick to move up for edge rusher James Pearce Jr., which would’ve made that task significantly harder. Instead, Atlanta reached what appears to be a good value extension with McGary, who is averaging approximately $15M APY in new money.

We’re not yet privy to the exact contract details, but it’s entirely possible that the Falcons will create 2025 cap space with this extension—especially given the relative value of that $15M/yr number. The team could create up to $10.6M in cap space with this extension if they so desired, although I imagine they wouldn’t push it that far. Either way, the team has a valuable starter in McGary locked up through his early 30s at what looks like a very reasonable price.

What do you think about the Falcons decision to extend Kaleb McGary? How do you feel about the $15M/yr, is it good value or an overpay?