Mike Hughes - Pro Football Rumors

NFC South Contract Details: Deablo, Hughes, Rozeboom, Jackson

March 18th, 2025 at 11:02pm CST by Ely Allen

As we continue to see new details come out for contracts on recent free agency deals, we’ll attempt to corral some of the more important pieces of information here. Specifically, here are some coming from two teams out of the NFC South:

Divine Deablo, LB (Falcons): Two years, $14MM. The contract, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, includes $7.66MM of guaranteed money. $6.66MM, including a $6MM signing bonus, is guaranteed at signing, with the remaining $660K coming from his 2025 base salary of $1.66MM. His 2026 base salary of $5.66MM has $1MM guaranteed for injury, which will convert to a full guarantee on the fifth day of the 2026 new league year. Deablo can also earn per game active roster bonuses of $20K for a potential, two-season total of $680K.
KhaDarel Hodge, WR (Falcons): Two years, $5.5MM. Per Wilson, the deal has a $6MM maximum value and includes $2.51MM in guarantees including a signing bonus of $1.25MM. The remaining $1.26MM of guarantees is Hodge’s 2025 base salary. Like Deablo, Hodge also has a $20K per game active roster bonus for 2026. Unlike Deablo, his 2025 per game active roster bonus is only $15K. Hodge can also earn an additional $500K annual incentive based on playing time and catches.
Mike Hughes, CB (Falcons): Three years, $18MM. Wilson tells us that Hughes’ new deal has $9.64MM guaranteed at signing including a $5MM signing bonus. The remaining guarantees are comprised of his 2025 ($1.32MM) and 2026 ($3.32MM) base salaries. Hughes’ per game active roster bonus for each year will be $40K.
Brady Christensen, OL (Panthers): One year, $2.79MM. Per Wilson, Christensen’s deal is fully guaranteed at signing and includes a signing bonus of $167.5K.
Sam Martin, P (Panthers): One year, $1.6MM. According to Wilson, Martin’s deal is fully guaranteed at signing and includes a $345K signing bonus. The contract also includes incentives up to $1.4MM based on punt average, a Pro Bowl selection, and playoff qualification.
Christian Rozeboom, LB (Panthers): One year, $2.5MM. Wilson tells us that Rozeboom’s contract includes $1.97MM guaranteed at signing, including a signing bonus of $800K and Rozeboom’s base salary of $1.17MM. Rozeboom can earn $1MM of incentives based on playing time and team performance, and he has a per game active roster bonus of $30K for a potential season total of $510K.
Michael Jackson, CB (Panthers): Two years, $10.5MM. Per Wilson, Jackson’s new contract includes $7.7MM of total guarantees with $5.7MM guaranteed at signing. $4MM of the initial guarantees come in the form of a signing bonus, while the remaining $1.7MM will come from cash compensation in 2025. The remaining $2MM of total guarantees comes from Jackson’s 2026 salary and becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2026 new league year. The deal includes $2MM of incentives based on playing time and playoff qualification, and he has a per game active roster bonus of $30K. Lastly, Jackson will receive a workout bonus of $20K in 2025 and $40K in 2026.

Falcons To Re-Sign CB Mike Hughes

March 11th, 2025 at 3:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

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.

Falcons’ Mike Hughes Lands Starting CB Spot

August 25th, 2024 at 4:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

A.J. Terrell is in place as the Falcons’ top corner for 2024 and beyond, but the question of who would line up as the team’s other perimeter corner was an unanswered question until the close of the preseason. Head coach Raheem Morris confirmed Mike Hughes will open the campaign handling first-team duties.

The veteran is set to take part in his second Falcons season, and he made 15 appearances last year. That included four starts and an uptick in playing time later in the campaign as Jeff Okudah saw his usage decline. Okudah is no longer in the fold, and Hughes spent the offseason competing for the CB2 spot with Clark Phillips III.

“That’s probably a Mike Hughes question, because I can only answer for what I’ve seen and what he’s done since I’ve been here,” Morris said when speaking about Hughes’ struggles in landing a permanent home in the NFL (via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). “I know as a former first-rounder that’s been in a lot of places that had a lot of high hopes for and love for throughout the draft process, and then getting a chance to come here and work with him.

“So, I can’t tell you what’s held him back, but I can tell you what he’s doing now – showing up in ball productivity, being around the ball and being in the right position… He’s done a nice job of doing a lot of things here.”

Hughes, 27, spent his first three seasons with the Vikings before being traded to Kansas City. His time with the Chiefs included a healthy campaign but it was not enough to land him an extended stay with the team. After a one-year spell with the Lions, the UCF product inked a $7MM Falcons pact in 2023. Hughes saw less playing time on defense than Phillips last season, but he will get the nod to begin the coming campaign.

Of course, Hughes has experience in the slot, and Morris confirmed he is an option to see extended time on the inside in 2024. That alignment would allow Phillips, a 2023 fourth-rounder, to be used on the perimeter. The presence of Dee Alford should keep Hughes primarily on the outside, though, and his performance this year will inform his value on a new Falcons pact or one sending him to another new team in the spring.

Latest On Falcons’ CB2 Competition

June 30th, 2024 at 10:58am CST by Rory Parks

The Falcons have AJ Terrell entrenched as their top starting cornerback outside the numbers, but the competition for Atlanta’s other starting boundary CB job was one of the club’s key storylines in the spring. That battle will continue into training camp, as Josh Kendall of The Athletic details (subscription required).

One of the two primary combatants is Clark Phillips III, a 2023 fourth-rounder who flashed in his rookie campaign but who also dealt with the growing pains generally expected of a Day 3 rookie. In 11 games (five starts), Phillips yielded a fairly low QB rating of 88.8 and recorded five passes defensed, but Pro Football Focus assigned him a mediocre overall grade of 59.0, making him the 85th-best CB out of 127 qualified players. Kendall observes that Phillips’ struggles are at least partly due to his 5-9 stature, which does work against him in his efforts to earn a boundary gig.

Mike Hughes, meanwhile, is a former first-round pick of the Vikings who has never quite lived up to his draft status. He signed a two-year contract with the Falcons last March, making Atlanta his fourth team since turning pro in 2018. His first year with the club did not go particularly well, and he actually finished 21 spots below Phillips in terms of PFF grades. Most of his action came at the nickel, but with Dee Alford having impressed with his more extensive slot work last season, it seems that Hughes will have to return to a boundary role to maintain significant playing time.

Of course, the Falcons could still make an addition to the CB room, which Kendall does not rule out. He does not say that the team is actively looking to make such a move, though perhaps that will change if neither Hughes nor Phillips get out to a good start in training camp. Stephon Gilmore is one of the players who remains available on the free agent market.

Phillips got plenty of first-team reps during OTAs as Terrell dealt with a hamstring issue. As Amna Subhan of the Falcons’ official website writes, both Phillips and Hughes saw time with the starting defense during mandatory minicamp.

Hughes, now 27, is in a platform season and could position himself nicely for another multi-year deal if he can beat out his younger counterpart and perform well for what could be a playoff-bound club in 2024.

NFC South Rumors: Alford, Mays, Saints

July 1st, 2023 at 5:55pm CST by Ely Allen

In January 2022, the Falcons signed cornerback Dee Alford out of the Canadian Football League to a reserve/futures contract. A year and a half later, Alford could be pushing for a starting role, according to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein.

After going undrafted out of Tusculum, Alford signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL in 2020 but didn’t get to play after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the season. When the team returned in 2021, Alford won a starting job and helped lead the Bombers to their second consecutive Grey Cup title.

Following his signing in the offseason, Alford defied the odds by making the 53-man roster. Alford served as a depth piece in the Falcons secondary for much of the year but did come up with a few big plays. In a Week 2 loss to the Rams, Alford gained his team two points with a safety. Two weeks later, he recorded a game-clinching interception over the Browns.

According to Rothstein, Alford has been rising in the offseason for Atlanta. In spring practices, Alford reportedly “took the vast majority of first-team reps at slot (cornerback).” Mike Hughes was the presumed starter at nickelback heading into the offseason, but Alford is making himself hard to ignore as he pushes for a starting role.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of the NFC South:

A sixth-round pick for the Panthers last year, Cade Mays may find himself in a bit of a larger role than last year to start the 2023 season, according to Joseph Person of The Athletic. With starting right guard Austin Corbett still recovering from an ACL repair surgery, Mays has reportedly stepped up this offseason. While his rookie year saw him block out of the backfield in short-yardage situations, Mays is in line to begin the season as a starter at right guard for Carolina.
The Saints are no strangers to injuries in the past few years. They are feeling it the worst this season in the wide receiving corps, where we got some recent updates from Terrin Waack of nola.com. Michael Thomas‘s woes continued thanks to toe surgery that landed him on injured reserve last year. He’s “slowly but surely” working his way back but is, reportedly, “still not full-go.” Last year’s rookie sensation Chris Olave missed the end of minicamp with an inflamed Achilles tendon but is expected to be okay. The other rookie from last year, Rashid Shaheed, suffered a groin injury in organized team activities that held him out of minicamp. He’s also expected to be fine by the time camp rolls around.

Falcons’ Avery Williams To Miss Season

June 7th, 2023 at 10:48am CST by Sam Robinson

Avery Williams has served as the primary kick- and punt-return option for the Falcons over the past two seasons. The team looks likely to need other contributors in these roles in 2023.

An injury sustained during the Falcons’ offseason program is set to sideline Williams — probably for the season. Arthur Smith said Wednesday that Williams will undergo ACL surgery. While the third-year HC did not specify if the ligament was fully torn, ACL surgery obviously threatens Williams’ third NFL season. It is, in fact, an ACL tear, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The noncontact injury occurred during a Falcons OTA practice last week; Williams’ surgery is scheduled for Thursday.

Smith said Josh Ali, offseason addition Mike Hughes and perhaps wide receiver Penny Hart are candidates to take over as Atlanta’s punt returner, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s D. Orlando Ledbetter (on Twitter). Williams logged 38 punt returns over the past two seasons. All-Decade kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson obviously looms as a candidate to handle the kick-return role, especially considering the Falcons’ Bijan Robinson draft choice. But Patterson has been used mostly as a running back in Atlanta.

Williams stepped in as Atlanta’s main kick returner following Patterson’s early-season knee injury last year. The former fifth-round pick has logged 41 kick returns during his two-season run. Williams, whom the Falcons converted from cornerback to running back in 2022, also played a role as a reserve on offense last season. After not seeing time on defense as a rookie, Williams’ position change led to 22 carries (for 109 yards) and 13 receptions (for 61) in 2022. Williams’ 292 punt-return yards ranked 10th last season.

The Falcons are fairly deep at running back, minimizing this injury on that front. The team added Robinson to a group housing 1,000-yard rusher Tyler Allgeier and Caleb Huntley. The return game figures to be more impacted by this offseason setback. It will certainly be interesting if the Falcons utilize Patterson, 32, as a full-time kick returner. While not used much as a punt returner during his 10-year career, the four-time All-Pro is one of the best kick returners in NFL history. He led the NFL with 35 kick returns with the Bears in 2020 but has not topped 18 in either of his Falcons seasons.

Contract Details: Hughes, Hollins, Anderson, Scott, Johnson, Evans, Morstead, Ham

April 1st, 2023 at 12:48pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on more deals signed recently around the NFL:

C.J. Ham, FB (Vikings): Two years, $8.65MM. The extension, according to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, has a guaranteed amount of $4.4MM composed of a $2.3MM signing bonus, Ham’s 2023 base salary of $1.1MM, and $1MM of his 2024 base salary (worth a total of $2.4MM. The 2025 base salary is worth $2.55MM. Ham is set to earn $100,000 workout bonuses in each year of the newly extended deal.
Mike Hughes, CB (Falcons): Two years, $7MM. The deal, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, has a guaranteed amount of $3.24MM consisting of a $1.5MM signing bonus, Hughes’s first year base salary of $1.08MM, and his 2023 roster bonus of $660,000. The second year base salary is worth $2.57MM. The contract includes an annual per game active roster bonus of $35,000 for a potential season total of $595,000.
Trenton Scott, G (Commanders): Two years, $3.02MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $655,000 consisting of a $305,000 signing bonus and $350,000 of Scott’s first year base salary (worth a total of $1.08MM). The second year base salary is worth $1.13MM. The contract includes an annual per game active roster bonus of $15,000 for a potential season total of $255,000. Scott can earn an additional $500,000 through an incentive based on playing time.
Justin Evans, S (Eagles): One year, $1.59MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $600,000 composed of a $250,000 signing bonus and $350,000 of Evans’ base salary (worth a total of $1.08MM). The deal includes a per game active roster bonus of $15,294 for a potential season total of $260,000. Evans can earn an additional $1.25MM through incentives based on playing time and a Pro Bowl selection.
Henry Anderson, DE (Panthers): One year, $1.32MM. The deal, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $152,500 consisting of Anderson’s signing bonus. His base salary is worth $1.17MM.
Thomas Morstead, P (Jets): One year, $1.32MM. The deal, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $1.09MM consisting of a $152,500 signing bonus and $940,000 of Morstead’s base salary (worth a total of $1.17MM).
Justin Hollins, OLB (Packers): One year, $1.28MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $155,000 consisting of Hollins’s signing bonus. The base salary is worth $1.08MM. The deal includes a workout bonus of $45,000, and Hollins can earn an additional $350,000 through an incentive based on playing time.
Ty Johnson, RB (Jets): One year, $1.23MM. The deal, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $250,000 consisting of a $75,000 signing bonus and $175,000 of Johnson’s base salary (worth a total of $1.08MM). Johnson can earn a $77,500 roster bonus if he’s active in New York’s Week 1 matchup.

Falcons Expected To Sign CB Mike Hughes

March 20th, 2023 at 6:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 20: This visit is expected to lead to an agreement, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Falcons have bolstered their defense on all three levels this offseason. Hughes and Bates are joining the secondary, while Kaden Elliss is coming over at linebacker. Fellow ex-Saint David Onyemata will also follow new DC Ryan Nielsen from New Orleans. Hughes plans to sign a two-year contract with the Falcons, Fowler tweets.

MARCH 17: Mike Hughes may have a few potential destinations for 2023, though the former first-round pick is likely to play for a fourth team in four seasons. The Falcons are on the radar to be that team, with Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reporting (via Twitter) they will host Hughes this weekend.

Although Hughes is taking a visit after a number of cornerbacks have reached agreements, he is not only on the Falcons’ radar. Other teams are interested, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets, adding that Wilson’s Atlanta visit will begin Friday.

Jerry Gray‘s presence on Atlanta’s staff could lead Hughes to Georgia. The veteran secondary coach was on Mike Zimmer‘s staff for six seasons; this span included Hughes’ first two NFL slates. Gray spent the past three seasons in Green Bay but joined Arthur Smith‘s assistant cadre this offseason.

Going into his age-26 season, Hughes has both bounced around in recent years and played regular roles while doing so. The Vikings traded the former No. 30 overall pick to the Chiefs in 2021. Following a bounce-back season in Kansas City, Hughes caught on with the Lions via a one-year, $2.25MM deal.

Hughes has experience both outside and in the slot, playing the latter role well with the Chiefs. Pro Football Focus rated Hughes as a top-30 corner during his Chiefs one-off. Last season did not go as well; Hughes allowed a 73.2% completion rate, was charged with giving up four touchdowns and permitting 9.2 yards per target. Those numbers resembled his 2020 season in Minnesota, which led the Vikings to bail on him in a late-round pick-swap trade.

The Falcons lost five-year contributor Isaiah Oliver to the 49ers, and 2022 pickup Casey Hayward is both coming off an injury-shortened season and heading into an age-34 campaign. He should not be considered a lock to be back. The team was linked to big-name corners ahead of free agency but decided to allocate resources elsewhere — most notably Jessie Bates‘ four-year, $64MM deal — thus far.

Even if Hughes ends up elsewhere, the Falcons will need to make at least one notable addition their AJ Terrell-fronted position group. Atlanta ranked 25th against the pass last season. Marcus Peters, Shaquill Griffin, Rock Ya-Sin, Anthony Brown and Bryce Callahan are some of the other notable corners still available.

Lions Sign CB Mike Hughes

March 21st, 2022 at 6:57pm CST by Ben Levine

Despite having a career year with the Chiefs, Mike Hughes has had to settle for a modest one-year deal. According to Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus (on Twitter), the cornerback is signing with the Lions. The one-year pact is worth $3.5MM.

After being traded from Minnesota last May, Hughes suited up for all 17 games with Kansas City – the first time in his four-year career he was available for a full campaign. He notched one interception, adding six pass breakups and four forced fumbles.

2021 was also Hughes’ best season with regards to coverage statistics. He allowed a completion percentage under 60% for the first time, and surrendered an average of seven yards per target. All of that added up to a PFF grade of 72.9, also a career mark.

Given his age (25), 2021 production, and first-round pedigree, Hughes was expected to be “popular” in free agency. Remaining with the Chiefs was also on the table. While Hughes managed to have a career season, his extensive injury history probably contributed to the short-term deal; a torn ACL followed by multiple neck issues limited him to a total of 24 games played across three seasons with the Vikings.

Latest On CB Mike Hughes

March 2nd, 2022 at 12:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Mike Hughes found himself in a new home last offseason, and that may be the case again soon. After a career year with the Chiefs, he is now a pending free agent. As PFF’s Doug Kyed reports, the corner has generated a healthy market for himself.

Specifically, Kyed writes that Hughes “is expected to be popular” in free agency later this month. The main reason for that, of course, is his play in Kansas City in 2021. After being traded there from Minnesota last May, he suited up for all 17 games – the first time in his four-year career he was available for a full campaign. He notched one interception, adding six pass breakups and four forced fumbles.

2021 was also Hughes’ best season with regards to coverage statistics. He allowed a completion percentage under 60% for the first time, and surrendered an average of seven yards per target. All of that added up to a PFF grade of 72.9, also a career mark. Given his age (25), and first-round pedigree, a productive season like the one he just had could earn him a number of suitors on the open market.

Of course, any team interested in Hughes will need to be aware of his injury history. A torn ACL, followed by multiple neck issues limited him to a total of 24 games played across three seasons with the Vikings. That lack of availability principally drove the team to decline his fifth year option, before they ultimately dealt him to Kansas City. Of note, Kyed adds that Hughes remining with the Chiefs is an option which is “still on the table”. While the team has more pressing offseason priorities, bringing Hughes back could prove to be a useful move in the secondary.