Falcons ‘Trending’ Toward Opening AJ Terrell’s Practice Window

With Terrell unavailable for the longest stretch of his seven-year career, the Falcons initially turned to C.J. Henderson for more snaps. Henderson has not lived up to expectations since the Jaguars took him ninth overall in the 2020 draft (seven picks before the Falcons selected Terrell), but he has played well this year. Over five games and three starts, Henderson has notched 25 tackles and six pass breakups. However, he injured his groin in a Week 5 defeat against the Ravens and was out for the Falcons’ 31-23 loss to the Bears last Sunday.

Down both Terrell and Henderson, the Falcons allowed Bears quarterback Caleb Williams to complete 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown. Rookie Avieon Terrell (AJ’s brother) and Mike Hughes worked as the Falcons’ outside corners. Williams went 2 for 2 when he targeted Avieon Terrell, but those completions amounted to just 13 yards, per Pro Football Focus. He was a far more successful 7 of 7 for 92 yards when he picked on Hughes.

Whenever AJ Terrell returns, he will reclaim his spot as the Falcons’ No. 1 corner. If healthy, Henderson could start on the opposite side. Avieon Terrell possesses the versatility to man the slot, where he lined up on 48 of 49 snaps during the first two weeks of the season.

Although Henderson, PFF’s eighth-ranked corner out of 102 qualifiers, and the younger Terrell (28th) have held their own, the Falcons have yielded the fifth-most passing yards in the NFL during their 2-4 start. They also rank a below-average 19th in EPA against the pass. That doesn’t bode well for a team that has to face the undefeated 49ers and star quarterback Brock Purdy on Sunday, but Atlanta would stand a better chance of pulling an upset if Terrell and Henderson are able to play.