In a surprise twist, the Atlanta Falcons failed to make a single move at the trade deadline for the second consecutive year. Not as buyers. Not as sellers. It was pure silence in Atlanta, but Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot's silence was more telling about their confidence in this Falcons' roster.
There have been underperforming players across the board for the Dirty Birds, but the 3-5 Falcons still have a real shot to make the playoffs in a weak NFC. At receiver, they somehow expect Darnell Mooney to return to form, but at least the explanation in the secondary makes at least some sense.
Mike Hughes remains entrenched as Atlanta's CB2 alongside A.J. Terrell, but they don't feel comfortable making the change just yet. Dee Alford struggled in Week 9 but has been playing well this season, and it looks like Billy Bowman Jr. should return in Week 10.
Falcons still trust Mike Hughes despite a slow start to the season
The insurance options are better in the secondary than some fans realize, so trading for a Michael Carter II or Roger McCreary was never really that viable. The Falcons need all of the draft capital they can get their hands on, so parting with that for a rental like McCreary is textbook mismanagement.
According to Pro Football Focus, Hughes' 53.9 PFF grade ranks 85th among all corners, while his 56.0 coverage grade ranks 75th. Last season, he was in the 70's in both PFF grade and coverage grade, so while the drop off has been stark, he hasn't been completely unplayable amid his rough campaign.
In the Week 9 loss against the Patriots, the 2018 first-round pick bounced back after a rough outing against Miami's Jaylen Waddle in Week 8. His 64.8 PFF grade marked a season-high, while his five total tackles saw him log a season-high 79.2 tackling grade—which tied for 14th at the position.
As for Alford, he's been starting in the nickel in Bowman's absence, but could eventually lap Hughes on the depth chart if his struggles persist. However, the 28-year-old was in coverage on Demario Douglas' 58-yard catch, as his rough outing contributed heavily to the Falcons' third consecutive loss.
Bowman hasn't played since before Atlanta's Week 5 bye due to a hamstring injury, but the fourth-round rookie out of Oklahoma shined out of the nickel before getting hurt. He was initially drafted as a safety, but Jeff Ulbrich has moved him around the formation to take advantage of his elite versatility.
Once the secondary returns to full health, Ulbrich has the flexibility to play the UCF product significantly less than years past, and it seems that's where things are headed.