The Falcons got a welcome development on Monday when right tackle Jawaan Taylor was cleared to practice for the first time since joining the team.
Taylor came off the active/PUP list and is expected to be with the club on Tuesday morning, giving Atlanta a much-needed reinforcement as it continues building toward Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Falcons are still in the early stages of camp, and while Taylor is back in the mix, it’s unlikely he’ll play Sunday night against the Denver Broncos at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday morning, "He obviously hasn't been in there yet, but has been extremely dialed in in meetings as he gets his body ready," head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Monday morning. "So I'm very confident in how he's prepared to date, and now with this next step of coming off the list where he can do a little bit more, can get in uniform, can go join the team, I think you'll see him continue to make strides."
Taylor’s arrival gives the Falcons a veteran option at a spot that has been handled mostly by Michael Jerrell next to All-Pro Chris Lindstrom. Jerrell has taken the bulk of the snaps with the first unit while Taylor worked his way back.
Atlanta signed Taylor shortly after longtime starter Kaleb McGary announced his retirement. McGary dealt with a knee injury last year and chose to end his career this season rather than risk further damage to the knee.
Taylor signed for $5 million, though Spotrac reported that the deal did not include any guaranteed money. For a stretch, it looked possible that he might never actually get on the field for Atlanta.
Instead, the Falcons now have him back with more than four weeks to prepare for the regular-season opener against the Steelers. Taylor will still need time to ramp up, especially with the rest of the team already two weeks into training camp after OTAs and minicamp in June.
The 2019 second-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars brings a long track record of durability. He started every game Jacksonville played across his four seasons there, then moved on to Kansas City on a major free-agent deal before the 2023 season. Taylor started 17 games in 2023 and 16 in 2024, and he appeared in 12 games last season, all starts.
The Chiefs eventually released him in a cap-saving move, and the Falcons moved quickly to bring him in.
On paper, Taylor offers a different skill set than McGary. McGary was known as a strong run blocker but had issues in pass protection, while Taylor is stronger in pass pro and less dominant in the run game. That profile fits Atlanta’s thinking, since the team doesn’t need elite run blocking to create room for Bijan Robinson.
Taylor also has one area he has to clean up: penalties. He was flagged 14 times in 2024, his last full season as a starter, and had 10 penalties in 12 games last season.
Even with the adjustment period ahead, Atlanta will be happy to have another proven tackle in the building. The Falcons’ other options - Michael Jerrell, Ethan Oniawna, and Brandon Walton - have combined for just five NFL starts.
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