Falcons: Examining whether each defensive position has improved or declined since 2022
Atlanta Falcons 2022 vs. 2023: Cornerbacks
2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|
A.J. Terrell | A.J. Terrell |
Casey Hayward | Jeff Okudah |
Dee Alford | Dee Alford |
Darren Hall | Darren Hall |
Mike Ford | Mike Hughes |
Rashad Fenton | Clark Phillips III |
Cornell Armstrong | Cornell Armstrong |
Matt Hankins | Tre Flowers |
Breon Borders | |
Natrone Brooks |
The cornerback position is a slippery slope for the Atlanta Falcons. You have A.J. Terrell, who you can count on, but then the rest of the field is a projection.
In 2022, the Falcons had Casey Hayward who was ready to be a steady presence opposite of Terrell but injuries kept him out for much of the year. Poll most fans and I would bet they would rather have Jeff Okudah. However, should we be so sure?
Okudah has been more injury prone than Hayward in recent years and Hayward has been a more consistent player when on the field. There is no denying that Okudah's ceiling is much higher than Hayward, nevertheless, what good is a ceiling if you don't have four walls and a floor? Okudah has failed to live up to his talent and while I have high hopes for him with the change of scenery, I also can't ignore the fact that more often than not, situations like this don't work out.
With all that being said, I love the additions of Mike Hughes and Clark Phillips. Tre Flowers might also end up being a sneaky good signing.
This is the least cut-and-dry verdict for the Falcons. Ultimately though, I will go with slightly improved because the Falcons have better depth in 2023.