Alex Mack is the best offensive lineman Atlanta has. I don’t think that’s particularly controversial to type, given that Mack is a potential future Hall of Famer and the essential pivot on this offense, but I’m typing it to underscore his importance. You can survive the loss of any one lineman, sure, but the Falcons are less likely to survive the loss of Mack than anyone else.
That’s why, despite his capable backup (Ben Garland), the big question for the center position has everything to do with Mack’s health. That’s not because he has a history of significant injuries—he’s just once played fewer than 16 games, back in 2014—but because of critical his health is.