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  • 2 days ago
Abe Gordon reacts on The Midday Show to the sudden retirement of Kaleb McGary and the immediate signing of Jawaan Taylor to bolster the offensive line. He analyzes how these moves impact the protection of Atlanta's quarterbacks and the strategy for the upcoming NFL Draft.
Transcript
00:00That Falcons news item yesterday changed quite a lot and obviously Kevin Stefanski joined the
00:08morning shift today and he addressed it and we'll talk about it a little bit and we'll let you
00:13listen to that interview in our second hour as well but you know the plan was to go pretty hot
00:21and heavy on the Hawks off the top kind of slide into the Braves although it was a day game
00:27so a
00:27lot of people had had an opportunity to react to it already and then the news about Caleb McGarry
00:34drops I don't know exactly what time it was definitely during Dukes and Bell maybe four
00:39o'clock 4 30 whatever time it was I was again I don't remember the exact timeline I was getting
00:47ready to watch the Braves maybe I was already watching the Braves whatever it was boy boy did
00:55I get hot in that moment I'm gonna be honest with you I got real ticked off uh about this
01:02and for a couple of different reasons and look Caleb McGarry has every right to retire I am not
01:09trying to take this away from him I don't love the timeline maybe it could have been handled
01:16differently maybe it couldn't have maybe it had to be this timeline but more specifically I don't like
01:23the the position it left the team in and that's not his fault but it still bothered me
01:33this is a team without a first round draft pick this year this is a team with very big questions
01:47at quarterback forget the performance aspect of the quarterbacks both guys have very big question
01:56marks when it comes to health and the ability to stay healthy
02:04it is both of their blind sides
02:12and you needed the offensive line for the Atlanta Falcons
02:20to produce to protect to provide an opportunity this year
02:31and it felt like a real gut punch
02:35for your starting presumed starting right tackle
02:39to retire
02:40at this point in the season
02:44first round of free agency is gone
02:46players have been signed
02:50and how do you pivot
02:53the current pivot
02:55was Falcons adding former Chiefs offensive tackle
03:00Jawan Taylor
03:03there are going to be a lot of people who come on and talk to you about
03:08this guy has an issue with penalties
03:10I get it
03:11I understand that
03:12he's also got 111 starts
03:14I think it was
03:15for the Kansas City Chiefs
03:17along the offensive line
03:18it's a one year deal
03:20for five million dollars
03:24I don't know if you're going to do any better than that
03:31I know the guys
03:33already in house
03:34are not better than that
03:38whether it's Storm Norton
03:39trying to come back from injury
03:40Elijah Wilkinson
03:42whatever it may be
03:45this is a big hit
03:46for the Atlanta Falcons
03:48and look
03:50feel however you want to feel about Caleb McGarry
03:52I thought he was a lot better
03:53than a lot of people made him out to be
03:55I don't think he was incredible
03:57we saw the value of him
03:59when he went down
04:00and what this team was left with
04:04and I
04:05again
04:05I have no problem with Caleb McGarry
04:07stepping aside
04:08I just wish it had come
04:10to this point sooner
04:14I'm not saying
04:15they would have turned it down
04:17but
04:18I don't think
04:19Kevin Stefanski
04:20accepted his job
04:21knowing his starting right tackle
04:23would retire
04:24I don't think
04:24Ian Cunningham
04:25accepted his job
04:26knowing
04:26the starting right tackle
04:28was going to retire
04:29and again
04:29I don't think that changes
04:30whether they will or would not
04:31accept his job
04:32I don't even know
04:33if Tua comes here
04:36knowing that
04:37the starting right tackle
04:38is going to retire
04:42but it's frustrating
04:44because there were pivots
04:45that could have been made
04:47and I don't know
04:49that you were given
04:50a full opportunity
04:52to maximize
04:53your replacement options
04:56you spent money
04:58on extra defensive backs
04:59you spent money
05:00on linebackers
05:02you spent good money
05:04on a punter
05:04or a kicker
05:07and
05:08I just wonder
05:09if that money
05:10ultimately could have gone
05:12to an offensive lineman
05:15if you knew
05:16early enough
05:19I do think
05:21this whole season
05:22banked on good
05:23offensive line play
05:24to protect
05:25probably questionable
05:26quarterback play
05:27certainly
05:28questionable
05:29quarterback health
05:31and
05:32I don't know
05:32if you have that now
05:34I don't think
05:36Juwan Taylor
05:37comes in
05:38and
05:38can reach the level
05:39that when healthy
05:40Caleb McGarry
05:41was at
05:42and so
05:43when I look
05:43at this move
05:44when I look
05:45at how it leaves
05:46the Atlanta Falcons
05:48if it wasn't
05:49a reset season
05:50before
05:52if you weren't
05:53already there
05:56the fact
05:57that you no longer
05:57have a trustworthy
05:58piece
05:59for either
06:00quarterback's
06:01blind side
06:04how much more
06:05of a reset season
06:06is it now
06:07how do you
06:08evaluate
06:09the quarterback
06:10play
06:11if that
06:12quarterback
06:12is not
06:13protected
06:13either one
06:14I don't care
06:15if it's
06:15still
06:15or
06:15Penix
06:16how do you
06:17evaluate
06:17the play
06:18of that
06:18quarterback
06:18if they
06:19can't
06:20sit in
06:20the pocket
06:20diagnose
06:21the defense
06:22make
06:23some reads
06:24and deliver
06:25a throw
06:26without
06:27always
06:28getting hit
06:30from their
06:31blind side
06:31without
06:31always having
06:32to speed
06:33up their
06:33mental clock
06:37and if
06:37Juwan Taylor
06:38comes in
06:39and can
06:39block
06:41that's
06:41great
06:42he can't
06:43be putting
06:43you in
06:44first and
06:4415 all
06:45the time
06:47second and
06:4813
06:50after a
06:51short
06:51Bajon run
06:54if he's
06:55going to
06:55come in
06:55and prove
06:56anything
06:56the penalties
06:57have got
06:57to go
06:59not saying
07:00he has to
07:00be perfect
07:01but the
07:02penalties
07:03have got
07:03to go
07:04you've
07:05got to
07:05put this
07:05offense
07:06in a
07:06position
07:07to
07:07succeed
07:09and this
07:10one hurts
07:13we always
07:14felt
07:15Caleb McGarry
07:15was probably
07:16one that
07:16would step
07:17away
07:17earlier
07:18sooner
07:19rather than
07:20later
07:20just in
07:20terms of
07:21his
07:21career
07:21maybe
07:22this
07:22one
07:22is
07:23driven
07:23by
07:24the
07:24injury
07:25and
07:26the
07:26comeback
07:26and
07:27either
07:28it's
07:29just
07:29not
07:30where
07:30it
07:30needs
07:30to
07:30be
07:31physically
07:31and
07:32it's
07:32not
07:32worth
07:32it
07:32for
07:33him
07:35or
07:37he just
07:38started to
07:38ramp up
07:39and
07:40that love
07:41was lost
07:41the love
07:42of the
07:42game
07:43if he
07:44ever had
07:44it
07:45which
07:45by the
07:46way
07:46I don't
07:46care
07:46about
07:47this guy
07:47loves
07:47football
07:48he
07:49performed
07:50when you
07:50needed him
07:50to
07:51that's
07:51all
07:52you know
07:53but he's
07:54gone
07:54now
07:54you save
07:55some
07:55money
07:56you now
07:57have
07:57like
07:5725
07:5827
07:58million
07:59whatever
07:59in cap
08:00space
08:01and
08:02you
08:02spent
08:02it
08:02on a
08:02one
08:03year
08:03five
08:03million
08:03dollar
08:04deal
08:04for
08:05a
08:05former
08:06starting
08:06offensive
08:06lineman
08:08we'll
08:09see if
08:09it
08:09works
08:10I'm
08:11not
08:11in love
08:11with the
08:12suggestions
08:12of moving
08:13the
08:13offensive
08:14line
08:14all over
08:14the
08:15place
08:17I've
08:18seen
08:18that
08:19you
08:19could
08:19take
08:19Bergeron
08:20and move
08:20him from
08:21left
08:21guard
08:21to
08:21left
08:22tackle
08:22you
08:23take
08:23Jake
08:23Matthews
08:24move
08:24him
08:24to
08:24right
08:25tackle
08:25and
08:26then
08:26all
08:27you
08:27need
08:27to
08:27do
08:27is
08:27find
08:27a
08:28replacement
08:28guard
08:29instead
08:29of
08:30a
08:30replacement
08:30right
08:31tackle
08:31I
08:31just
08:33I'm
08:33not in
08:34love
08:34with
08:34that
08:34it's
08:35something
08:35you do
08:36early
08:36in
08:36people's
08:36careers
08:37I
08:37don't
08:38know
08:38if
08:38I'm
08:38in
08:39love
08:39with
08:39Jake
08:40Matthews
08:41after
08:41playing
08:41that
08:42much
08:42time
08:43at
08:43left
08:43tackle
08:43going
08:44to
08:44the
08:44right
08:44at
08:44this
08:45point
08:45in
08:45his
08:45career
08:45I
08:46don't
08:46love
08:46it
08:48does
08:48it
08:49change
08:49the
08:49draft
08:49for
08:50the
08:50Atlanta
08:50Falcons
08:54it
08:54might
08:55it
08:56certainly
08:56changes
08:57the
08:57considerations
08:58at
08:5948
09:02you know
09:02I have
09:02a topic
09:03that I
09:03had for
09:04Andy
09:04and Randy
09:05it was
09:05kind of
09:06a
09:06Falcons
09:07draft
09:08process
09:08of
09:09elimination
09:09not
09:10who
09:10they
09:10would
09:11pick
09:11but
09:12what
09:12are
09:12the
09:12positions
09:13up
09:14for
09:14discussion
09:14and I
09:16was
09:16pretty
09:16open
09:17in
09:17terms
09:18of
09:18hey
09:19is
09:20tight
09:20end
09:21up
09:21for
09:21discussion
09:22is
09:22linebacker
09:23up
09:23for
09:23discussion
09:24could
09:24it
09:24be
09:24a
09:25cornerback
09:29along
09:29the
09:30offensive
09:30line
09:30I
09:31had
09:31center
09:31up
09:32for
09:32discussion
09:32as
09:33a
09:33potential
09:33draft
09:33pick
09:34at
09:3448
09:36I
09:37didn't
09:37have
09:37right
09:38tackle
09:38up
09:39for
09:39discussion
09:41because
09:41the
09:42assumption
09:42was
09:43Caleb
09:43McGarry
09:43returns
09:44from
09:44injury
09:44Caleb
09:45McGarry
09:45is
09:45your
09:45starting
09:45right
09:45tackle
09:46and
09:46you're
09:46comfortable
09:47there
09:49that is
09:50no longer
09:50the case
09:54and so
09:55does it
09:55change the
09:56draft plans
09:58potentially
10:02it's not
10:03great guys
10:05for
10:05for a team
10:06that in
10:07my opinion
10:07already
10:08needed
10:08needed
10:08a lot
10:09of
10:09things
10:09to
10:10go
10:10right
10:11especially
10:12at the
10:12quarterback
10:13position
10:13especially
10:14in terms
10:15of health
10:15especially
10:16in terms
10:17of keeping
10:18those
10:18quarterbacks
10:18upright
10:21is a
10:22big one
10:25and I
10:26just wish
10:27it had
10:27happened
10:27earlier
10:28I just
10:28wish
10:28the
10:28Falcons
10:29had
10:29more
10:29opportunity
10:30to pivot
10:31a little
10:31bit
10:31differently
10:34and that's
10:35the
10:35that's
10:36the
10:36tamed
10:36down
10:36version
10:37of my
10:37comments
10:37because
10:38honestly
10:38there was
10:39about
10:3940 minutes
10:40I think
10:41between
10:41when McGarry
10:42retired
10:42and when
10:43they announced
10:43they had
10:44signed
10:44Jawan
10:44Taylor
10:45oh boy
10:46in those
10:4745 minutes
10:48when there
10:50wasn't
10:50really an
10:51option
10:51oh man
10:52was I
10:53hot
10:55I
10:56couldn't
10:56believe
10:57this team
10:57had been
10:57put in
10:58this
10:58position
10:58so I
10:59will say
11:00this
11:00again
11:01I don't
11:01know if
11:01it works
11:02out
11:02I will
11:02say
11:02this
11:03credit
11:03to Ian
11:04Cunningham
11:04Kevin
11:05Stefanski
11:05Matt
11:05Ryan
11:06for finding
11:06a option
11:08I can at
11:09least get
11:09behind giving
11:10a chance
11:10to
11:11because for
11:1240 minutes
11:13boy I'll
11:14tell you
11:14what
11:16I had
11:17written
11:17down in
11:18big
11:18bold
11:18headlines
11:19Caleb
11:19McGarry
11:21unintentionally
11:22just screwed
11:22this organization
11:23and again
11:24I don't have
11:25a problem
11:25with him
11:26it's not
11:26about him
11:28it was
11:28just about
11:29the timeline
11:29it was
11:30just about
11:31the lack
11:31of pivot
11:31it was
11:32all of
11:32those
11:32things
11:34but then
11:34they signed
11:35Juwan Taylor
11:35I was like
11:35okay
11:36I still
11:37don't
11:37love
11:38the situation
11:38they're in
11:39but they
11:39got a
11:40semi
11:40plan
11:41and we'll
11:41live
11:41with that
11:44we're gonna
11:45ask Joe
11:45Patrick
11:46more about
11:46this
11:47in about
11:4730 minutes
11:48he's gonna
11:49join us
11:50at
11:501140
11:51per usual
11:52when we
11:52come back
11:52though
11:53what's
11:53trending
11:53a lot
11:53to get
11:54to
11:54still
11:56originally
11:56the plan
11:57was Hawks
11:57Braves
11:58but Caleb
11:58McGarry
11:58got me
11:59going
11:59going
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