Dee Alford didn’t take long to leave a mark in Buffalo.
The former Falcons cornerback, who signed a three-year, $15.75 million deal with the Bills in free agency, has already turned heads at training camp. His latest highlight came when he picked off Josh Allen during practice, and the Bills quarterback made sure to call him out when asked about the defensive standouts he’s noticed early on.
"Yeah, Dee Alford's been making a lot of plays," answered Allen, who has thrown two interceptions to the former Falcons cornerback thus far in camp.
That kind of playmaking is nothing new for Alford. During his four seasons in Atlanta, the undrafted defensive back was a steady presence, often holding off challengers who were brought in to unseat him. Across 64 games and 23 starts, he collected four interceptions and broke up 37 passes.
His value came from more than just ball production. Alford moved around the defense, lining up both outside and in the nickel, but he’s been at his best inside. That’s where he’s expected to fit in for Buffalo, likely in the nickel when Week 1 rolls around.
Falcons fans already know what he can do against Allen. Alford snagged an interception in Atlanta’s prime-time upset of Buffalo in Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season. The Bills apparently liked that look, and they’re seeing plenty more to like now in 2026.
Atlanta, meanwhile, is trying to fill the gap. Billy Bowman Jr. is set to be the replacement, though he’s still coming back from a torn Achilles. Darnay Holmes and rookie Avieon Terrell are next on the depth chart at nickel.
In Other News...
Simone Biles Turned Falcons-Colts Into A Sideline Talking Point
Simone Biles appearance at the Colts preseason game against the Falcons added a little extra star power to an otherwise routine August matchup. She was there to support her husband, safety Jonathan Owens, who signed a one-year deal with Indianapolis in March and handled the kind of quiet opening-night workload that usually gets lost in the shuffle of preseason football.
For Atlanta, the sightline mattered as much as the snap counts. Biles has been back in the public eye after recovering from a serious health emergency that required hospitalization, and her presence on the sideline turned a standard exhibition game into a talking point well beyond the box score. Owens finished with one tackle, but the bigger moment may have been the attention his wife brought to a game the Falcons otherwise would have moved past quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Trade Is Creating A Defensive Ripple Few Fans Saw Coming
Sydney Brown has already turned into one of the more intriguing additions in Falcons camp after Atlanta brought him over from Philadelphia in a trade that also sent multiple draft picks back the other way. The safety has flashed at both safety and nickel cornerback, giving the coaching staff a versatile piece to sort through as the team continues sorting out its defensive back end.
Ian Cunninghams deal may be producing even more value than Atlanta first expected, thanks to the draft capital that came back in the package. Those picks became Harold Perkins Jr. and Kendal Daniels, and both have made early impressions during training camp and preseason work, creating a ripple effect that has quietly added competition and depth across the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Backups Just Changed The Feel Of Several Roster Battles
The Falcons left Indianapolis with a preseason win and, just as important, a deeper look at the players trying to pry open roster spots. After a week of joint practices, Atlantas backups carried plenty of the load in a 34-6 victory over the Colts, with Tyler Goodson bursting for a 49-yard rushing touchdown and both Cooper Rush and Jack Strand directing scoring drives. For a roster in the middle of sorting out its depth, that kind of showing can matter as much as the final score.
Atlantas defense helped keep the night firmly in the Falcons control, holding Indianapolis under 200 yards and out of the end zone. Those kinds of performances tend to sharpen competition on the fringes of the roster, especially when reserves make the case that they can handle more than just late-game snaps. The broader picture now is less about the preseason result itself and more about which of these performances will carry real weight when the team has to make its cuts. [Read more 🡒]
