The Falcons moved quickly after the trade deadline to keep two important defensive pieces in place, agreeing to extensions with defensive end Cameron Thomas and cornerback C.J. Henderson.
Thomas, who signed a one-year, $3.1 million deal with Atlanta in the offseason, has started every game and put together a steady season with 25 tackles, 12 quarterback hits and two sacks. His new contract will pay him $11 million per season over three years.
“He demonstrates what we love about this game every single day,” Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said, via William McFadden of The Atlanta Falcons team website. “The toughness, the strain, the effort-the relentless effort.
And then the high-level execution, the consistency. If there’s a guy that we can really lean on on our defense, he’s one of those human beings.
I’ve been so overwhelmed with what he’s brought to us.”
Henderson’s deal is a two-year extension worth up to $20 million, with $11 million guaranteed. It marks another turn in a career that has had plenty of ups and downs.
Drafted eighth overall by the Jaguars after starring at the University of Florida, Henderson lasted less than two seasons in Jacksonville before being traded to the Panthers, where he continued to struggle. After spending time on a couple of practice squads, he didn’t play in a game in 2024. He signed with the Falcons before the 2025 season, was cut and sent to the practice squad, and stayed there until December before appearing in four of the final five games.
That late-season stretch was enough to keep him in Atlanta, and he’s now become a key part of Ulbrich’s defense. With A.J. Terrell sidelined early in the season, Henderson stepped into the starting lineup and has been the Falcons’ best cornerback this year, with quarterbacks completing just 55% of their passes when targeting him.
In Other News...
Falcons Just Made Their Post-Bates Defensive Priorities Very Clear
The Falcons wasted little time reinforcing the defense after the Bates move, locking in two more pieces before the market could shift further. Atlanta agreed to a three-year extension with EDGE Cameron Thomas that can reach $33 million, keeping him under contract through the 2029 season, and also finalized a two-year deal with cornerback CJ Henderson that can climb to $20 million with $11 million guaranteed.
Both moves were confirmed by multiple NFL insiders and agents, a sign the Falcons are intent on stabilizing the back end and the pass rush at the same time. For a team trying to sort out its defensive identity, the message is clear: Atlanta is not waiting around to see which of its own pieces might be available later. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Just Signaled Bigger Offensive Line Changes Are Coming
The Falcons made a notable move just before the NFL trade deadline, sending center Ryan Neuzil to the Ravens for guard Andrew Vorhees and a 2028 sixth-round pick. It was more than a simple swap of linemen. It was a clear sign that Atlanta is not treating its offensive line as a finished product, even with the season already underway.
Bill Callahan plans to open with Corey Levin at center, but the bigger question is how much else changes around him. Matthew Bergeron and Jake Matthews could be part of a reshuffled group, and the Falcons are already expected to keep looking for help in free agency and the 2027 NFL Draft. For a team trying to stabilize up front, this trade looks less like the end of the conversation than the start of it. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Face A Huge Chiefs Question Before Week 10
The Falcons Week 10 trip to Kansas City just picked up a little more uncertainty, and it centers on a backfield issue that could alter how the Chiefs approach Sunday. Kenneth Walker III reported groin tightness and sat out Fridays practice, leaving Andy Reid and his staff to sort through one more late-week question before making a final call on his status.
For Atlanta, the timing matters because Kansas Citys offense can look very different depending on who is available in the run game. Reid said the team will evaluate Walker before deciding whether he can go, and if he cannot, rookie Emmett Johnson is in line to step in. It is the kind of development the Falcons will be watching closely as they try to prepare for whatever version of the Chiefs shows up. [Read more 🡒]