It’s been another long and win-less preseason for the Falcons. After four tough to watch games, fans are more than ready for this exhibition season to be over. It feels especially long since Atlanta got an early start as one of two teams to play in the Hall of Fame game. There’s still one more game to play, though and there are plenty of reasons to watch. Some key position battles are coming to an end, including the starting kicker and right tackle competitions.
With that in mind, here are five players to watch in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Jaguars.
OT Kaleb McGary
McGary’s heart condition certainly scared Falcons fans a few weeks ago. However, he has recovered from his procedure quicker than expected. McGary has been a full participant in practice the last few days and coach Dan Quinn says he plans to play him against Jacksonville, but needs confirmation from his doctor first. Assuming he plays, it will interesting to see how McGary performs at right tackle in his first live NFL game.
K Giorgio Tavecchio
After another disappointing performance last week from Tacecchio against the Redskins, the Falcons brought in former Vikings and Seahawks kicker Blair Walsh to compete for the starting job. Tavecchio had a strong 2018 season, so maybe a little bit of competition is what he needs to get refocused. He reportedly didn’t kick in front of the media at today’s practice but he will on Thursday. Tavecchio can’t afford another miss.
K Blair Walsh
Walsh has significantly more experience than Tavecchio but has also missed some big kicks in his career, which is why he’s available so close to the start of the season. It’s already off to a rough start. Walsh reportedly missed four of nine field goals on Tuesday. Somebody has to win the starting kicker job, and it will likely come down to whoever plays better in Atlanta’s preseason finale. If both Walsh and Tavecchio fail, it’s possible the team will have no choice but to re-sign the 44-year-old Matt Bryant.
OT Matt Gono
Gono wasn’t supposed to have a major role at all in 2019 with Atlanta spending most of their offseason resources on offensive line upgrades. But with injuries to Ty Sambrailo and Kaleb McGary, Gono has gotten more time than expected. Last week, he was surprisingly sturdy against Washington, outside of a few missed assignments. If Gono follows up with another good game, the right tackle competition could get very interesting.
OT Ty Sambrailo
Sambrailo also has a legitimate chance to start at right tackle this season for Atlanta, particularly if McGary isn’t ready to start yet. He may have hurt his chances, though, by missing last week’s game against Washington with a shoulder injury. Sambrailo is set to play on Thursday though. He needs a good showing to hold off the surging Gono. Sambrailo earned a respectable three-year deal earlier this offseason. However, he still needs to prove that he’s a viable starter in this league.
Follow us @TheFalconsWire & @MattUrben on Twitter!
