In his first free agency as the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons, Ian Cunningham has done a great job chasing value and striking when an opportunity presents itself. The only complaint about the offseason was the Falcons not addressing the secondary, but he finally made a move for a CB.
According to Jordan Schultz, Atlanta agreed to terms on a one-year deal with former Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Darnay Holmes. At the very least, Holmes will add depth to a cornerback room that's depleted as ever following the departure of Dee Alford to the BIlls, so he deserves a chance.
Across six NFL seasons, the 27-year-old has only started 12 games with the Raiders and New York Giants, so while he probably isn't the splash signing who will steal Mike Hughes or Billy Bowman Jr.'s starting role, there's reason not to trust Jeff Ulbrich's vision in searching for some needed CB help.
The Falcons are signing ex-Raiders CB Darnay Holmes to a one-year deal
Holmes fits right in with Cunningham's offseason MO. He's a former high draft pick who the Dirty Birds are hoping can revive his career in a season under Ulbrich. Worst case scenario, he struggles as a situational corner and is cut, but he has a real chance to carve out a meaningful role for the defense.
If Bowman Jr. isn't ready in time for Week 1 after tearing his Achilles, the 2020 fourth-round pick would likely be the one to take over. Signing Holmes is a pretty low-risk endeavor, especially when your defensive coordinator is the king of reclamation projects, especially since he won't be starting.
However, there are reasons to be concerned about this move. In recent seasons, Holmes has struggled immensely in coverage. According to Pro Football Focus, the UCLA product recorded a 46.7 PFF grade and a 46.2 coverage grade in 2025. And this is his production in limited snaps at CB.
Those numbers are brutal. Apparently, his struggles in run defense are even worse. Before this past season, Falcons fans were clamoring for Alford to be cut, but a season under Ulbrich turned his career around and help him cash in in free agency. Maybe 'Brich can do the same with Holmes, especially since he proved he can be at least serviceable with eight PDs in 2022.
In this business you chase talent wherever you can find it, so if he's stuck around the league (albeit with two loser franchises) for six seasons, that's definitely something to take note of. But whether he succeeds or not, I'm just grateful that Cunningham is finally looking at CB, even if it's a smaller move.