Atlanta Falcons should extend Desmond Trufant this offseason

Desmond Trufant is one of the league’s premier cornerbacks, and the Atlanta Falcons need to ensure he stays in house for a very long time.

Talent, time and age are all in the favor of Desmond Trufant. The 25-year-old is the key piece to a rebuilding Atlanta Falcons defense, and the club needs to ensure he stays in Atlanta.

After picking up Trufant’s fifth-year option this spring, which keeps him under contract until the conclusion of the 2017 season, the Falcons have time to work on a long-term deal. Yet the sooner an agreement is made, the better the deal will likely be for Atlanta.

For every blockbuster contract signed in the NFL, particularly at a premium position like cornerback, the value keeps rising. Josh Norman became the league’s highest paid corner when he signed a five-year, $75 million deal with $36.5 million fully guaranteed in Washington. The next time an elite corner is due a new contract, these numbers will likely rise.

As the positional value and price tag rises across the league, Trufant’s mega deal will only increase too. If another corner signs a bigger deal than Norman’s over the next two years, Trufant will have more leverage to exceed it.

There is only so much money to go around, but the Falcons are in a fortunate position when looking at their list of 2017 free agents. Next offseason, Atlanta’s top stars remain under contract, with Robert Alford and Ryan Schraeder the biggest names due new deals.

What the Falcons don’t want to do is reach the end of the 2017 season without agreeing a long-term deal with Trufant. This gives the player more leverage to pile on the cash or Atlanta would face the daunting reality of having to use the franchise tag on him, or worse yet watch him walk away in free aency. In 2018, the Falcons will also need to pay Jake Matthews, Devonta Freeman and Ra’Shede Hageman.

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The sooner an extension can be worked out with Trufant, the better. Whether it’s this summer or next, the Falcons need to ensure their star defensive back is locked up long term.