Since being drafted No. 16 overall in 2020, Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J Terrell has quietly became one of the league's best young cornerbacks.
An All-Pro second-team recipient in 2021, the former first-round pick accumulated 81 tackles, three interceptions and ranked ninth in the NFL with 16 pass deflections that season.
And despite producing at a high level in his third career season, a hamstring injury suffered in Week 7 limited the 24-year-old to 14 games in 2022. While he did return in the Week 11 victory against the Chicago Bears, the injury was clearly still bothersome for the Clemson product.
And for the promise Terrell has shown, Atlanta picked up his fifth-year rookie option last month, increasing his cap hit to $12.3 million in 2024. However, with the cornerstone of their secondary becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2025, the Falcons want to lockdown Terrell for the future.
"One of the team's few building blocks on the defensive side of the ball, Terrell was dominant in 2021 before taking a step backward a year ago," ESPN writes. "He's still one of the league's best young cornerbacks, however, and the 2020 first-rounder is now eligible for a new deal. His new contract should average more than $20 million per season."
A $20+ million deal would instantly make Terrell one of the highest-paid players in Atlanta, with offensive tackle Jake Matthews and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett being the only players among that pay grade.
With a plethora of young secondary pieces, an extension for Terrell could begin a wave of Falcons cornerbacks getting paid.
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