Falcons rookie Kaleb McGary made his NFL debut in the 31-12 exhibition victory over the Jaguars on Thursday. The team doesn’t plan to rush him into the starting lineup.
McGary was competing with Ty Sambrailo for the starting right tackle position before he became ill during practice on July 30. The following day he had his third cardiac ablation procedure to correct the rhythm of his heart.
“We will clearly have that competition at that spot,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “It may not get settled for a few weeks and that’s OK. But we’ll make sure if it’s him or anybody else they are ready to get rocking.”
After going 1-4 in the exhibition season, the Falcons now squarely point toward the regular-season opener against the Minnesota Vikings at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 8 in Minneapolis.
The Vikings, who missed the playoffs last season like the Falcons, are led by former Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.
McGary played nearly 40 snaps against the Jaguars and did well. He was extremely aggressive and was superb at moving around some of the Jaguars defenders in the run game.
“I think we’ll have to take him through the practice week,” Quinn said. “But let me go back and watch through it. I’m sure, once we get a chance to look better at it and see how he did. He’s been in practice against our guys.”
Quinn was extremely pleased with how McGary played even though he wasn’t playing against NFL quality starting talent in the fifth and final exhibition game.
“It was his first game experience,” Quinn said. “No matter what, it was a good start. You’ve got to start somewhere. We’d loved to have had this been his fourth or fifth game playing, but that’s not how it went. It was nice to see him answer the challenge and control what he could.”
McGary admitted to some pregame jitters.
“I was definitely nervous,” McGary said. “Unlike these other guys, this was my first NFL game, so I was nervous. I felt overly new-guyish because I was the only guy who hadn’t actually played yet. That was really cool to get to do and it was pretty helpful making sure I knew where to be pregame.”
McGary was selected with the 31st overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft. He starred at Washington and intrigued the Falcons, who signed him to a four-year, $10.2 million contract, which included $9.1 million guaranteed.
McGary was projected to be a key component of the Falcons’ revamped offensive line along guard Chris Lindstrom, who was selected with the 14th overall pick this year.
The Falcons offensive line gave up 108 quarterback hits and 42 sacks after guards Andy Levitre and Brandon Fusco were lost to injury and right tackle Ryan Schraeder’s play dipped.
The Falcons were determined to get better protection for quarterback Matt Ryan after making a $150 million investment in their signal-caller.
McGary’s heart problems first surfaced back in 2013 while in high school in Fife, Washington. He had another procedure while in college.
“I was just excited,” McGary said. “I was really excited to get to participate, compete and show my stuff.”
McGary is fine with easing back into things as he is not sure he can play an entire game yet.
“I could have, but you might have had to drag me off on a stretcher afterward,” McGary quipped. “I don’t remember (being) this fat, but that was the case. Yeah, it was not my call, but that’s what the coach did and I’m fine with that.”
If pressed, McGary would have went for it.
“If they told me to do, that’s what I’d do,” McGary said. “They’d still probably would have to take me off with a stretcher, but hell, I’d do it.”
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