Former Falcons 1st round pick released by Cowboys

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The Cowboys are releasing former Falcons first-round pick Takk McKinley, according to Michael Gehiken.

Dallas had just inked a deal with McKinley in March after he finished the 2022 campaign on the practice squad. Despite being only 27 years old, his career might be reaching the end of the road.

Atlanta took McKinley in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, but he never lived up to expectations. Across four seasons with the Falcons, he recorded only 17.5 sacks in 49 games.

Since not having his fifth-year option picked up, Takk McKinley has bounced around the league, spending time with the Bengals, 49ers, Raiders, and Browns.

His best season following his departure from Atlanta came in Cleveland, where he recorded 2.5 sacks in 11 games. He assumed a prominent role, playing 43% of the defensive snaps. However, a torn Achilles ended that season.

Last year, he spent time with the Rams before landing in Dallas but will now hit the open market with a chance to catch on somewhere new.

The Falcons haven’t had much luck drafting the position in recent years, headlined by Takk McKinley and Vic Beasley. Neither garnered a second contract from the club and have since bounced around the league; Beasley has actually made his way over to the XFL, and I wouldn’t be surprised if his old teammate joins him soon.

It’s a harsh reality of the NFL. We hope the best for Takk.

Photographer: Todd Kirkland/Icon Sportswire
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