The Atlanta Falcons have taken another step toward getting their offensive line in order, and this one matters.
Jawaan Taylor is back. The Falcons activated the veteran tackle off the active/PUP list after he spent the start of camp working his way back from a lingering elbow injury that also kept him out for most of OTAs. His return gives Atlanta its entire starting offensive line fully healthy for the first time all summer.
Taylor’s absence had opened the door to a right tackle battle early in camp, with Brandon Walton, Michael Jerrell, and seventh-round rookie Ethan Onianwa all getting first-team snaps while he was sidelined. That competition now looks like it’s effectively over.
Kevin Stefanski had already hinted that Taylor’s return was close, saying about a week ago that he would be at practice today and activated “shortly.” Even so, the move still gives Atlanta a lift. Taylor is the player the Falcons signed to fill the right tackle spot after the Kaleb McGary news, and his presence stabilizes a unit that had been scrambling for answers.
The Falcons moved quickly after McGary went down, giving Taylor a one-year deal and betting on an established option despite some obvious red flags. But compared with the alternative they were dealing with before, the move makes plenty of sense. Last season, the fallback was Elijah Wilkinson, and that was a far tougher path to protection.
Atlanta did have to make a corresponding roster move, releasing 2025 seventh-round pick Jack Nelson after it became clear he wasn’t going to factor into the offensive line rotation.
At 28, Taylor is now officially back in the mix, and the Falcons are counting on him to be more than just a warm body. The 6-foot-5, 312-pound tackle fits Bill Callahan’s scheme and should be at least adequate as the starting right tackle this season.
In Other News...
Falcons Suddenly Face A James Pearce Jr. Problem They Feared
James Pearce Jr. has spent most of camp working with the Falcons third team, a reminder that his role has already been in flux before the real questions around his status arrive. The first-round pick played in all 17 games last season, but Atlanta has been bracing for a much different kind of update as roster cutdowns approach, one that could force the team to rethink how it plans to open the year.
The uncertainty around Pearce now centers on discipline that has been hanging over camp, with the Falcons preparing for a suspension announcement before the roster deadline. For a team that drafted him to be part of its future up front, the timing could not be much worse, and the length of the absence would leave Atlanta sorting through a depth chart issue it hoped to avoid. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Penix Jr. Is Already Forcing A Tough Falcons Decision
Michael Penix Jr. is already at the center of one of the Falcons biggest offseason questions, and it has less to do with upside than availability. Atlanta is sorting through its quarterback options under a new coaching staff, while fans remain split on what Penix can become and how quickly he can be trusted to lead the offense. The comparisons to other first-round quarterbacks from the 2024 draft only sharpen the scrutiny, because the Falcons are not just weighing talent here - they are weighing timelines.
The health piece makes the decision even murkier, and it helps explain why the organization has been forced to keep its options open. Penixs performance has given Atlanta enough reason to believe in the long view, but the uncertainty around his readiness has created a real test for the teams planning and patience. For a franchise trying to settle its future under a fresh regime, the quarterback conversation is already becoming a referendum on how much risk it can afford to take. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Needed This Divine Deablo Injury Update More Than Ever
The Falcons had a scare at practice when linebacker Divine Deablo went down after an apparent ankle injury and had to stop scrimmaging. It was the kind of moment that can tighten a training camp sideline fast, especially for a defense that needs to keep building chemistry and getting a feel for how its new pieces fit together.
Kevin Stefanski later said Deablo was rolled up on, and the early concern eased once imaging and testing were done. Hell miss the next practice as a precaution, but the expectation is that this is not a long-term issue, which is about as good a result as Atlanta could have hoped for after the initial injury. [Read more 🡒]