The Falcons didn’t wait long to find out what they had in Avieon Terrell. They also didn’t have much choice.
Atlanta sat out the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft and didn’t come on the clock until No. 48 overall, when it took the Clemson cornerback. The pick carried the obvious family tie to his older brother, A.J.
Terrell, but that wasn’t the only reason Ian Cunningham and Matt Ryan were comfortable making it. Two games in, the decision looks justified.
That matters even more now because A.J. Terrell’s season has hit another rough patch.
Atlanta placed him on IR, which means he’ll miss at least the next four games, and the team signed Zach Harrison to the active roster in the corresponding move. For a defense already trying to find some stability, it’s another test.
Avieon Terrell, though, has been a different story entirely.
The 21-year-old has been working as the nickel starter and sharing snaps with Sydney Brown, with Terrell handling more passing situations and Brown providing more help against the run. It’s a straightforward setup, but it has let Atlanta take advantage of what Terrell does best on the back end.
Brown still brings more in the tackling department, but Terrell is closing that gap. Pro Football Focus has him with a 77.3 tackling grade this season, which ranks 34th among qualified cornerbacks.
He also logged 26 snaps in the Falcons’ 34-3 loss to the Panthers, compared with Brown’s 18. That usage says plenty.
The rookie also stood out in the red zone against Carolina. He had strong coverage on Tetairoa McMillan to help prevent a touchdown and generally looked sharp in coverage. PFF gave him a 57.7 coverage grade, though that number clearly didn’t tell the whole story.
Terrell’s role may only grow from here. Billy Bowman Jr. is working his way back from an Achilles tear and could return within the next couple of weeks, but Terrell has already put himself in position to hold onto the nickel job.
With A.J. Terrell now on IR, Atlanta may even lean on Avieon on the outside as well.
At this point, the Falcons know they found something. He has a feel for the ball, doesn’t seem eager to surrender the explosive play, and has shown he can create turnovers. He’s looking like a smaller, fresher version of his brother, and he’s starting to lock down a long-term spot in the secondary.
Atlanta drafted him expecting immediate help. Even with the noise around the roster, especially at quarterback, Avieon Terrell has delivered that and then some. Now the Falcons may ask him for even more.
In Other News...
Falcons QB Mess Just Sparked A Wild Veteran Debate
The quarterback picture in Atlanta has already turned into one of the leagues early talking points this season, with Tua Tagovailoa sidelined by injury and Cooper Rush having a rough opening stretch in the first two games. For a team trying to settle its offense before the schedule gets any tougher, the uncertainty under center has become impossible to ignore.
Robert Griffin III poured fuel on the conversation with a public critique of the situation, then floated a list of veteran free agents he believes could bring some stability, including himself, Cam Newton, Jimmy Garoppolo and Ryan Tannehill. Griffins name is the one that sent social media into overdrive, even though he has not appeared in a regular-season game since 2020, and the debate now says as much about Atlantas quarterback frustration as it does about any actual reunion talk. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Offense May Finally Get The Jolt Its Core Needs
After a rocky opening to the 2026 season, the Falcons are getting close to a much-needed reset under center. Michael Penix Jr. is expected back as the starter in Week 3, a development that could finally give Atlantas offense a steadier rhythm after Cooper Rush was forced into early action and struggled to move the group consistently.
That matters because this is not a roster short on core talent. Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts are all locked in on long-term contracts, giving Atlanta a foundation worth building around if the quarterback play stabilizes. Even with Penix's return offering some hope, the bigger picture still points toward 2027, when the Falcons may need to find their long-term answer at quarterback for good. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Face A Bigger QB Problem Than Just Cooper Rush
Cooper Rushs two starts have already pushed the Falcons into an uncomfortable spot at quarterback. Since stepping in because of injuries elsewhere on the depth chart, he has managed only one touchdown against four interceptions, and the benching in Week 2 made it clear the team is not getting the kind of control it needs from the position. More than the numbers, the concern is how much the offense has had to shrink around him, with the coaching staff appearing to trim the playbook rather than ask him to do too much.
The bigger issue is what comes next if Atlanta keeps looking for stability under center. Rushs struggles are not just a short-term problem for the Falcons, they may also ripple beyond their own building by changing how teams view veteran quarterbacks with a similar skill set. If Atlanta cannot get cleaner play from the position soon, the conversation will shift from one backup filling in to whether the Falcons have to rethink the entire way theyre managing the quarterback room. [Read more 🡒]