ESPN names one final move for Atlanta Falcons ahead of training camp

The NFL rosters were barely finalized at the end of June. Even near the end of the preseason in August, NFL teams can find new additions in free agency or even make trades.

But ESPN’s Aaron Schatz suggested the final move the Atlanta Falcons should make before training camp isn’t an addition. Instead, he argued the Falcons should make sure to sign cornerback AJ Terrell to a contract extension.

“Terrell might have been the best cornerback in the NFL in 2021. He might have been below average in 2022. He was back in 2023, finishing 15th in completion rate and 35th in coverage DVOA among qualified cornerbacks,” Schatz wrote. ” What can I say ? Cornerback stats are inconsistent and difficult to predict. Nonetheless, Terrell is easily considered the most important player on Atlanta’s defense behind perhaps safety Jessie Bates III.

“The Falcons picked up his fifth-year option, but now they need to sign Terrell long-term so he doesn’t leave for another team in 2025.”

Terrell’s journey from rising star to slight disappointment is probably best orchestrated by Pro Football Focus’ cornerback rankings. As of June 2022, PFF ranked Terrell third among all cornerbacks in the NFL. He made the All-Pro second team during the 2021 season.

But in each of the last two offseasons, including this summer, Terrell hasn’t made PFF’s list of top 32 cornerbacks. This year he wasn’t even included in the honorable mention.

Schatz, however, considers the cornerback position to be inconsistent and does not expect his performance over the past two seasons to impact his future with the Falcons.

To Terrell’s credit, he outperformed his PFF cornerback ranking according to PFF player ratings. Terrell finished 21st among cornerbacks who played at least half of their team’s defensive snaps in 2023 according to PFF grades.

He recorded 34 combined tackles, including 4 for loss, and a team-high 11 pass defenses. But Terrell hasn’t intercepted a pass since the 2021 season.

It will be very interesting to see how the Falcons view Terrell and his future within the organization. But Schatz is right: If the team views Terrell as the cornerstone of its defense, then it would be best to extend the 25-year-old before the start of the 2024 season.

In four years with the Falcons, Terrell had 43 pass defenses and 4 interceptions. He also made 247 combined tackles, including 11 tackles for loss and 4 forced fumbles.