The Falcons are beginning to get a clearer picture of Avieon Terrell’s place in their defense, and the early signs point to the boundary.
That shift became more obvious in Monday’s 45-24 win over the New Orleans Saints, when the rookie corner logged a career-high 36 snaps and 35 of them came on the outside. The game was lopsided and the offense kept piling up points, so the snap total was boosted a bit by the flow of the afternoon. Even so, Terrell handled the workload well.
He finished the day with a solid showing aside from a questionable 25-yard defensive pass interference penalty while matched up with Bryce Lance. PFF credited him with allowing just two receptions for 20 yards. For a player the Falcons clearly wanted to see as much as possible early on, that was another encouraging step.
Through his first four weeks, Terrell has looked every bit like the kind of corner Atlanta hoped it was getting when it used a second-round pick on him and made him the first player chosen by the new regime. In 87 coverage snaps, he has seen just 10 targets, allowed five catches for 28 yards, and posted a 42.9 passer rating when targeted.
At first, most of his work came in the nickel. During the first two weeks, he shared reps inside with Sydney Brown. But when Billy Bowman Jr. returned in Week 3, Terrell began spending more time on the outside, and that alignment has started to feel more like the plan.
According to The AJC's Daniel Flick, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich told reporters last week that Terrell has spent a lot of time in the slot to start his NFL career, but he believes the long-term answer is on the boundary. Ulbrich also said he’s impressed by Terrell’s ability to play both inside and out.
The usage through four weeks is nearly split down the middle: 48 snaps in the nickel across the first two weeks, then 47 on the outside over Weeks 3 and 4. But the trend is pointing outward, and it makes sense given Atlanta’s current setup.
With A.J. Terrell on IR, C.J.
Henderson has stepped in as the CB1 and has played well on the outside. Mike Hughes is also there, but the Falcons appear to view him more as a CB3 than a long-term answer opposite Henderson.
That’s why a longer look for Avieon Terrell on the boundary feels like the natural move, especially with how well he has played so far.
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