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Falcons might replace $18 million veteran with rookie very soon
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- Falcons might replace $18 million veteran with rookie very soon
Falcons might replace $18 million veteran with rookie very soon originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Life moves fast in the NFL.
Just a year ago, the Atlanta Falcons signed Mike Hughes to a three-year contract extension worth $18 million.
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But now, Hughes' cornerback job may be in jeopardy.
The Falcons signaled such a possibility when they drafted Avieon Terrell out of Clemson. Yes, he's the brother of current standout Atlanta corner A.J. Terrell.
Beyond the relation, though, the pick simply spoke volumes about how Atlanta is thinking about their depth chart.
"Terrell was the earliest pick the Falcons had in the 2026 draft, and they had other more pressing needs on the table -- that's difficult to ignore," ESPN's Ben Solak wrote in a new article on Wednesday. "This isn't some Round 4 toolsy prospect. This was a top-50 pick with already a ton of internal buy-in given his family name. I won't be surprised when Terrell and Hughes are rotating first-team snaps in camp."
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The good news for Hughes is that the modern NFL needs a lot more than just two cornerbacks to complete a quality depth chart. He can still see solid playing time, and given the rookie Terrell's inexperience, the Falcons probably won't rush him into a full-time role right away.
But the youngster will be looming. If Hughes struggles, or if he gets hurt again like he did in 2025, his job could be in jeopardy.
NFL teams can't wait around forever. They need to find the player who can contribute in the here and now, even if that's a younger option replacing someone on a stout contract. That's the situation that is staring at Hughes right now, and he'll have to try and respond with his play on the field.
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