AJ Terrell resides as one of the NFL’s better corners, and an extension for the 2020 first-rounder is under consideration. Supplementing the Terrell-fronted position group may be as well.
As of now, the Falcons are planning to pit Mike Hughes and Clark Phillips in a matchup for the No. 2 cornerback post alongside slot Dee Alford. This competition could certainly determine if the team views it is a man short at this premium position. Although Hughes and Phillips were both Falcons regulars last season, a new coaching staff is calling the shots. The Falcons should “probably” be viewed as prepared to add a corner before or during training camp, The Athletic’s Josh Kendall writes (subscription required).
This is interesting due to the team having already added Antonio Hamilton, who spent the past two seasons with the Cardinals. Though, Hamilton is going into his age-31 season and operated as a part-time starter in Arizona. A former Vikings first-round pick, Hughes started four games last season. Phillips, a 2023 fourth-rounder, was a five-game starter. This array of Terrell sidekicks may prove sufficient, but Raheem Morris and DC Jimmy Lake eyeing more help would not surprise.
Pro Football Focus rated Hughes outside the top 100 among CB regulars last season while slotting Phillips 85th. Seeing more time on Atlanta’s perimeter in 2023, Jeff Okudah left for Houston in free agency. Okudah was among the many veteran corners to change teams this offseason, but a few longtime starters are still unsigned.
After three seasons as a Giants starter, Adoree’ Jackson is still available. The former first-rounder is going into what would be his age-29 season. One of this era’s premier ballhawks, Xavien Howard turned 31 last week. The nine-year Dolphin was also hit with a civil suit this offseason, though it would surprise if no team showed interest in a four-time Pro Bowler.
Patrick Peterson said recently he is staying ready ahead of what would be his 14th season, and 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore is unsigned. Peterson is 34, and Gilmore will turn 34 in September. Only two cornerbacks this decade — Josh Norman and Johnathan Joseph — have started a game at age 34 or older. The pedigrees of Peterson and Gilmore, however, will likely open the door to opportunities soon.
The Falcons passed on bolstering their pass defense in Round 1, choosing Michael Penix Jr. instead, though they attempted to trade back into the round for an edge defender. The team did not draft a corner. With big questions regarding Atlanta’s pass rush, it would stand to reason it will consider another move to bolster its coverage abilities.
Every article written on Trade Rumors all summer for the Falcons….”The Falcons passed on pass defense to select Michael Penix; The Falcons passed on edge rush to select Michael Penix; The Falcons passed on O-line to select Michael Penix; The Falcons passed on a much needed Kicker to select Michael Penix”…..sheesh!!!! lol
Clearly, they should be saying the Falcons passed on Odunze.
Sounds like you should work for a trade rumors site as well…you all just parrot each others thoughts!
Penix probably won’t even get a mention at this site anymore if the Falcons bring back Deion Sanders to solve their CB problem…lol.
That would be amazing lol…I bet he can still cover
I mean, can you explain to me why they threw $100 million guaranteed at Cousins and then drafted a quarterback with their most premium draft asset, all while failing to select a cornerback?
They paid a premium going rate for a top 10 QB for what looks like 2 years. Then will switch to Penix is now their plan I would assume….maybe the Draft should be before free agency and then everyone wouldn’t get all in their feeling about it every year.
That may be, but I have a hard time believing the Cousins-led iteration of the squad is going to be competing for championships when you have players like Mike Hughes and Clark Phillips starting in the secondary.
In my personal opinion, it would have made more sense to have either:
1) Signed Cousins and then drafted pro-ready prospects at areas of weakness. They could have traded down and ended up with a premium corner AND pass-rusher given the abundance of defenders available at the first round. This would maximize your current window, which is important, given that Cousins probably isn’t enough to carry a merely “good” team to a championship.
2) Not signed Cousins and invested in the future of Penix. This would have maximized the number of years you have to build around a young, affordable quarterback. If you wanted him to sit for a year, you use a veteran stopgap (Minshew, Flacco, Heinicke, etc.). This way, you reserve money to spend on positions of need in free agency to supplement the roster around Penix.
This hybrid approach doesn’t maximize either plan IMO. The Cousins era will be limited by the lack of draft investment, while the time you have with Penix on a rookie contract will be abbreviated. I appreciate that you have your own opinion on this and you may very well be right in your assessment. However, I take issue with this idea that criticizing the Falcons for drafting Penix is some “parroted” idea. I don’t need someone else to tell me what to think to arrive at the conclusion I did, and I believe it’s important to at least recognize why others would think similarly.
Very well said and can’t argue with any of that. ‘Parroting’ writing, go back and look at every article just on this site alone since the draft. Penix/Cousins is mentioned over and over every single time even if its unrelated; again parroting, they cant help it….Now Kirk Cousins wasn’t bringing Championship aspirations to Atlanta, most non-casual fans would agree I’d imagine. Draft before Free Agency solves a lot these unnecessary ‘situations’, but players would never agree to that because that hurts the size of contracts/money.
And besides…Death, Taxes and the Falcons having no Pass Rush or CB depth are the only givens in life. Long time Falcons fans like me are used to this lol
Who am I parroting here? It seems like everyone says Atlanta should have gone defense. I think Odunze would have been the best move.
You’re not I’m just triggered, now i know what if feels like being a Jets fan! lol….you did make think of the video of a 10 year old kid begging for Odunze watching the draft and then he’s so dumb founded when they chose Penix haha
I have not had the pleasure.
Did they forget to tell you? They passed on defense for Penix? Just incase you forgot
NFL TEAM WARNING !!
Monitor the contacts your cornerbacks and agents have.
ATLANTA TAMPERS !!
To be fair, most every article anywhere mentions Penix’s draft rank And then mentions 100mil bonus to cousins.
It does get extremely old, I do not know how long it will continue. I guess It is a continued talking point from outsiders.
Usually this extraneous information is done after the fact, after it has been proven to be good/bad, like any article about Sam Bowie, also mention that he was drafted before Jordan.
What is different here, is that nothing has been determined yet, for any transaction to be considered good/bad.
May as well also, after every mention of cousins or Penix, OR any falcon need, also state how the Falcons lost picks from NoiseGate, and how they picked 4 skill offensive players first the past 4 years.