Darnay Holmes entered Falcons camp as a name most people probably didn’t circle, and now he’s forcing his way into the middle of the cornerback conversation.
What started as a quiet summer addition has turned into something much more interesting. Holmes has steadily climbed from “will he even stick?”
territory to looking like a roster lock, and now he’s in position to win the CB3 job. At this stage of camp, that’s not a small development - teams are sorting out real roles, not just trying bodies in different spots.
The biggest sign came Monday, when ESPN’s Marc Raimondi reported that Holmes was back in the nickel with the first-team defense. Raimondi put it plainly: "CB Darnay Holmes played nickel with the 1s and seems to be the frontunner for that role."
That’s the kind of note that changes the temperature of a competition.
If Holmes is really ahead in the nickel battle, it’s a twist few would have predicted back in the spring. The 28-year-old has become the favorite over Avieon Terrell, the Falcons’ second-round pick in the 2026 Draft and the younger brother of their star CB. That’s a surprising turn on its face, especially with a veteran like Holmes potentially beating out a younger, higher-profile name.
There are some clear reasons Holmes has been able to make this push. The competition around him hasn’t exactly been at full strength.
Terrell has just returned from a hamstring injury, and last year’s nickel, Billy Bowman Jr., is still working back from an Achilles tear. Bowman looks likely to open the 2026 season on IR and miss the first month.
Holmes’ own resume also makes this run a little unusual. He has only 12 career starts, with just three coming over the last four seasons.
So even being in the mix is notable. Beating out AJ Woods and Mike Ford Jr. for the job would make sense; being the guy who keeps getting first-team reps is the part that stands out.
There’s still time for the picture to shift once Terrell and Bowman are fully healthy. Terrell already made a push with a strong day on Tuesday, and the Falcons also chose Holmes at nickel instead of taking a look at Sydney Brown, which only adds to the sense that Holmes has the inside track right now.
For a player who wasn’t exactly a headline name when he arrived, Holmes has become one of the more interesting developments in camp. The Falcons’ CB3 race has a surprise frontrunner, and for now, he’s making it look real.
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Falcons QB Battle Just Got More Complicated Before Final Tuneup
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Kevin Stefanski said Tua Tagovailoa will start the preseason finale against Miami, while also leaving the Week 1 quarterback decision open and saying he is not sure Penix will be healthy enough to play. For a Falcons team trying to build momentum around its offense, the timing only adds another layer to a competition that has not produced a clean answer yet, and the final exhibition now carries a little more weight than anyone probably wanted. [Read more 🡒]