Falcons: Examining whether each defensive position has improved or declined since 2022
Going through each defensive position for the Atlanta Falcons to see if they have improved or declined since last season
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.