The Atlanta Falcons got through the majority of training camp unscathed, but that all changed when starting right tackle Kaleb McGary went down with a knee injury. The former first-round pick will miss the entire 2025 NFL season on the injured reserve list.
That left the Falcons with a few options at right tackle. The team traded a seventh-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for second-year offensive lineman Michael Jerrell, however, Atlanta listed veteran Elijah Wilkinson as Michael Penix Jr.’s blindside protector on the Week 1 depth chart.
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Penix doesn’t seem worried, though. On Wednesday, the second-year quarterback said he has the utmost confidence in Wilkinson as the starting right tackle.
“He’s here for a reason,” Penix said of Wilkinson. “Every single person on this offense believes in him.”
Falcons running back Bijan Robinson seconded Penix’s comments during an interview with FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Kelly Price, highlighting Wilkinson’s previous starting experience.
“I think people are really sleeping on Elijah because he’s such a proven talent,” said Robinson. “You know, he’s started for the Chicago Bears. Dude is a beast. All he needed was an opportunity.”
In terms of experience, it’s tough to find a better option on the roster. Wilkinson has appeared in 79 career NFL games with 45 starts, including nine starts for the Falcons in 2022.
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Atlanta drafted Jack Nelson in the seventh round of the draft, but his inexperience was evident in the preseason. While Jerrell was thought to be in the mix, the Falcons are likely keeping him as their swing tackle until Storm Norton returns from the injured reserve list.
Check out the team’s updated starting lineup with Pro Football Focus season grades and the Falcons’ Week 1 depth chart ahead of Sunday’s season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: Elijah Wilkinson has support of teammates