Atlanta will look to A.J. Terrell and Mike Hughes to lead cornerbacks in 2025
The Atlanta Falcons secondary had a rough season in 2024, but the unit should be better in Year 2 of the Raheem Morris era. The team brought back a few familiar faces in Mike Hughes and Dee Alford, both of whom are expected to start in 2025.
While the team focused more on the safety position in the 2025 NFL draft, Atlanta will likely move fourth-round pick Billy Bowman to the nickel cornerback spot. Clark Phillips III should also play a bigger role as he enters his third NFL season.
Continuing with our position previews (QB, RB, WR, TE, OT, OG, C, OLB, ILB, DL), today we will break down the team’s cornerbacks ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
RCB depth chartA.J. TerrellClark Phillips IIIKeith TaylorDontae Manning (UDFA)LCB depth chartMike HughesMike Ford Jr.Natrone BrooksLamar JacksonNCB depth chartDee AlfordBilly Bowman (Rookie)Cobee Bryant (UDFA)
There are no major surprises here. While Hughes and Alford may not be among the top players at their respective positions, both have starting experience and offer stability. Hughes in particular is coming off arguably the best season of his career. Atlanta could have attempted to trade for Jalen Ramsey or sign Jaire Alexander, but the team had limited cap space. We listed Bowman as the backup nickel to Alford, but don’t be surprised if the rookie sees the field in 2025.
2025 salary cap hitsTerrell: $9,000,000Hughes: $3,586,666Ford: $1,845,000Alford: $1,490,000Phillips: $1,223,383Taylor: $1,100,000Bowman: $1,086,538Jackson: $1,030,000Brooks: $960,000Bryant: $853,333Manning: $843,333
The Falcons gave Terrell a mega-extension last year, but he will only count for $9 million against the salary cap in 2025. That’s not bad for a No. 1 cornerback. Hughes is second on the team with a cap hit of $3.5 million. Alford will earn $1.5 million and Phillips isn’t far behind at $1.2 million. Overall, and the team will pay roughly $24 million to cornerbacks this season.
Top free agents availableJames BradberryKendall FullerStephon GilmoreRasul Douglas
The Falcons are unlikely to make any major secondary additions now that the top names are off the market. If the team wants to add someone with starting experience, there are some decent options available. Bradberry is probably the top corner on the market, while Fuller and Gilmore have plenty of experience. There are plenty of solid depth players on the market as well.
Predictions/expectations for 2025
The Falcons didn’t make any major improvements at cornerback, but they also didn’t lose any notable players. Hughes and Alford are back, and you could argue the team has better depth behind those two than it had in 2024. I expect Clark Phillips III to serve as a versatile backup playing both inside and outside. As mentioned earlier, I also believe Bowman will find his way onto the field this season. Terrell sets the tone for this group as a whole. If the team’s pass rush makes progress, it will only help the Falcons secondary in 2025.