AJ Terrell will be the second-highest paid cornerback ever.
The Atlanta Falcons have come to an agreement on a four year, $81 million contract extension with cornerback A.J. Terrell, with $65.8 million of that guaranteed, making him the second-highest paid CB in NFL history.
There was some question surrounding Terrell’s future in Atlanta, as he was slated to play out his fifth year option this season with no new contract agreed to until now. This deal secures Terrell’s future as a Falcon over the next few seasons.
Terrell is coming off of his second-best season statistically, where he had 11 passes defensed and had a 74.6 PFF coverage grade, both his best marks since an absolutely elite 2021 season when he was named a Second-Team All-Pro selection. While a lack of interceptions has hampered his recognition to some extent, Terrell has long been a sound tackler and dependable player in coverage, locking him in as Atlanta’s top cornerback.
The Falcons have put a lot of trust into Terrell’s development and hope he can a step forward and more closely resemble that 2021 version who had 16 passes defensed and three interceptions (he did not register an interception in 2022 or 2023). Terrell will have the advantage of working behind a rebuilt defensive front enhanced by the trade for Matthew Judon and multiple draft picks, and working besides one of the best safety tandems in the NFL in Jessie Bates and Justin Simmons.
Given the lack of proven high-end options outside of Terrell in the cornerback room, he’ll be counted upon to play at a high level. Mike Hughes appears slated to start opposite Terrell, with Clark Phillips potentially mixing in if Hughes falters, but both players have plenty to prove this season. Getting Terrell to handle opposing top receivers when there are still pass rush questions up front and that question mark at CB2 is a big deal, and given that Terrell is just 25 years old, the Falcons now have their top corner locked up for years to come.
Terrell will once again be the undisputed leader in cornerback room, in other words. He was slated to be a $12.34 million cap hit this season but we will see how the new contract is structured. Atlanta has the option of lowering that cap hit to around $3 million, for about $9 million in 2024 savings, if they choose to kick most of the money into future years and continue to build the roster ahead of a critical 2024 season.
