The Falcons have spent the better part of six seasons treating A.J. Terrell like the kind of corner you never have to think twice about.
He was the steady CB1, the guy who could line up against an opponent’s top receiver and erase a side of the field. For a long time, that reputation fit.
That picture is starting to blur.
Terrell’s slide showed up last season, and Week 1 of 2026 made the concern louder. In Atlanta’s 20-13 loss to the Steelers, he was beaten by Mike Hughes and his younger brother, then finished with three catches allowed for 31 yards.
More surprising than the yardage was the workload: five targets against a corner who usually doesn’t get tested that often. He also drew two penalties, including a 37-yard defensive pass interference call while matched up with Roman Wilson, not DK Metcalf or Michael Pittman Jr., but a receiver listed as Pittsburgh’s WR4.
One rep in particular made the decline look hard to ignore. Terrell was lined up against former Georgia star and Steelers backup tight end Darnell Washington, and the result was ugly. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I was watching Cobee Bryant and not a top-10 cornerback.
The numbers backed up the eye test. Per Pro Football Focus, Terrell’s 47.8 defensive grade in Week 1 ranked 67th out of 89 qualified cornerbacks, and his 46.3 coverage grade landed 72nd out of 89. That’s a brutal place to be for a player who has spent years being discussed as one of the league’s elite.
There’s also the health side of this. Terrell is coming off an injury-riddled season, and he got hurt again in Week 1.
So this isn’t just about performance slipping. It’s also becoming a question of whether he can stay on the field consistently while still being under contract for two more years.
The Falcons, though, don’t seem ready to entertain that reality. According to the AJC’s Daniel Flick, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich called Terrell "the best boundary corner in the NFL, in my opinion" - a statement that lands a little differently when Pat Surtain exists.
At minimum, Terrell looks like a player whose standing is worth revisiting. A year ago, the answer might have been different.
Now, with more than $25 million coming his way in each of the next two seasons, Atlanta has to hope he can rediscover what made him special. Even after restructuring his contract, this can’t become a situation where he hurts the secondary more than he helps it.
That challenge gets bigger in Week 2, when Terrell is set to handle Panthers rookie Tetairoa McMillan, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year. If Metcalf and Pittman were able to give him problems, McMillan is another level of test altogether.
Terrell needs to straighten things out quickly before this becomes more than a rough patch. If it keeps going this way, he risks becoming the weak link of the defense.
In Other News...
Michael Penix Jr Puts Falcons Quarterback Decision Back In Play
Michael Penix Jr. was back as a full participant in practice this week, a notable step for a Falcons quarterback still working through recovery and one that immediately brings the position conversation back into focus. Atlanta had Penix sharing reps with Cooper Rush, a reminder that the quarterback room is very much in motion as the Falcons keep sorting out how they want to handle the position going forward.
The timing matters in a division where every team is watching the margin for error. Across the NFC South, Todd Bowles has already made it clear Baker Mayfield has to be sharper with the football, while Carolina is making roster moves of its own, waiving cornerback Jimmy Horn to open a spot for linebacker Tyrel Dodson. For Atlanta, though, the bigger picture is simpler: Penixs return to full work is putting the Falcons quarterback decision right back in play. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Newton Just Entered The Falcons Quarterback Conversation
Cam Newton resurfaced in the Falcons quarterback conversation this week by making a public case that he could still help an NFL team, even after not playing since 2021. The former Panthers star, who will be Hall of Fame eligible next year, also took aim at Atlantas recent quarterback decisions while noting that no team has reached out to him, despite the occasional fan push to bring him back.
For the Falcons, it is the kind of noise that follows any team still trying to settle its long-term answer under center. Newton said he understands a return is unlikely, but he made clear he would at least welcome the chance to be asked, drawing a contrast with other retired quarterbacks who have found their way back onto the field. For now, it is more a reminder of Atlantas ongoing search than a true sign of movement, but Newtons name has a way of keeping the discussion alive. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Robinson Jr. Is Giving The Falcons A New Decision To Make
Brian Robinson Jr. has already carved out a useful niche for himself since signing a one-year deal with the Falcons, giving the staff a little more flexibility than it had when camp opened. He has worked as both a running back and the primary kick returner, and in the season opener against the Steelers he handled nine carries for 31 rushing yards while also adding 64 kick return yards on two returns.
The more interesting part for Atlanta is what comes next, because the Falcons have been clear that they see him as a versatile fit alongside Bijan Robinson rather than just a depth add. With a meaningful role expected in the coming games, Brian Robinson Jr. is making the kind of case that can force a coaching staff to keep adjusting how it divides the backfield work and special teams duties. [Read more 🡒]