After spending the past two years with the Falcons, Mike Hughes‘ time with the team is set to continue. The veteran corner has a new deal in place with Atlanta, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. 
This will be a three-year contract, Fowler adds. Hughes can collect up to $18MM over the course of the pact. He operated as a full-time starter in 2024, and that will remain the expectation moving forward with this new commitment.
Hughes split the first five years of his career between the Vikings, Chiefs and Lions. His playing time fluctuated over that span, as he never managed to establish himself as a full-time starter. The former first-rounder took a two-year deal to join the Falcons in 2023, though, and that decision has proven to be a fruitful one.
After handling a snap share of only 33% during his debut Atlanta season, Hughes started all 15 of his games in 2024. His 720 snaps were the highest of his career, and the 28-year-old set a new personal mark with 66 tackles while adding six pass breakups. Just before his $3.5MM-per-year pact was set to expire, Hughes has translated his first-team production into a multi-year pact and a notable raise.
Atlanta has A.J. Terrell attached to one of the largest cornerback contracts in the NFL, and he will remain an anchor in the secondary moving forward. Hughes has proven to be a trusted No. 2 option, although his 105.8 passer rating allowed is something the Falcons will hope to see improvement on over the course of this new deal. Nonetheless, the CB position is less of a priority with the onset of the new league year (and, next month, the draft) approaching.
The Falcons have worked out a deal for one outside addition so far (linebacker Divine Deablo) but have otherwise focused on internal matters. Hughes falls into the latter category, and it will be interesting to see if his new Atlanta pact pays off as well as the first one did.
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