Raheem Morris is confident about the Falcons’ offensive line despite suffering the biggest injury blow. It came with Kaleb McGary’s injury, which threatens to weaken the unit. He has suffered a lower left leg injury. As per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler’s report, he is likely to “miss time” for the injury. However, the timeline is not revealed, and losing him is a serious concern. However, Morris has faith in the lineup. “We talked about Elijah Wilkenson being able to step out there. We got Jack Nelson significant amount of reps in the preseason. We’re able to go out there and get some of those guys all of those things,” he said.

While the strategy is likely already in play, the coach recently got crucial advice that might help him. ‪@929TheGame‬’s Joe Patrick called the Falcons’ coach’s praise for the offense line as “flowery.” “You know, check in with teams, see who’s… on their roster that they would be willing to part with. That maybe they could do a small trade for especially before cuts come down, if they could offer, you know, a seventh-round pick or something like that for a player,” the host said.

He added that while the team will be able to find a player to replace McGary as it will be tough to find someone as good as the injured player. Now, the chemistry McGary has with rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. on the field won’t be an easy one to replicate. He suggested that the team might pull out a smarter approach, which is to be patient, monitor the waiver wire, explore small trades, or pull from practice squads to find a serviceable right tackle.

As the turmoil surrounding McGary intensifies, suggestions are emerging for the coach to consider alternative offensive tackle options. As BroTalk of The Reporting Eligible podcast noted, the Chiefs’ Wanya Morris could be a player that the Falcons can consider if McGary’s injury is serious enough to sideline him. “Another to keep an eye on is Wanya Morris of the Chiefs. Not the best but is serviceable for the time being. Still 2 yrs left on his rookie deal so it isn’t a huge cap hit. Could probably get him by sending a 6th or 7th,” the post read. Defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. called the Offensive Tackle “a guy who does all the dirty work.”

As per the depth chart, veteran Brandon Parker and rookie Jack Nelson are listed as McGary’s backups. However, neither is seemingly reliable for the spot. And the worst part for the Falcons is that the team might not be able to rely on Storm Norton right away.

Is Elijah Wilkinson the answer for the Falcons?

As reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the backup tackle Norton might be expected to miss six to eight weeks due to undergoing ankle surgery. This has shifted the focus to Elijah Wilkinson. Another indication that Wilkinson may start in Week 1 is Morris’s decision to sideline the backup lineman. Showing his faith in Wilkinson, he said, “Elijah has played a lot of football in the National Football League. He’s played a lot for us. He’s been here throughout the course of the last year and the course of this year.”

Jarvis Davis had the same sentiment. During his conversation on the Locked on Falcons, he explained that for the Falcons, the answer might be Wilkinson for now. However, Davis also added that if McGary were to miss the entire season, the team might have to start looking at other options. However, he explained that Wilkinson might surprise by putting up an impressive performance, but he isn’t willing to take the risk. “I’m not comfortable with Elijah Wilkinson at 17 games right now. Now, he may surprise me,” he said.

Now, why does he think that the 30-year-old can become a good option for the team? He isn’t the only one. Several people also hold the same sentiment. What makes Wilkinson the answer is his versatility. He has started at both tackle and guard in his career. He saw action in only two games with the team. The OT logged a single offensive snap and eight on special teams. However, there can be another advantage for the team, which is that the OT isn’t new to the team. Wilkinson played 9 games for the team back in 2022. Back in 2023, he started nine of his 10 appearances for the Cardinals and played for the Broncos and Bears.

It seems the Falcons will rely on Elijah for now.