Through two weeks, the Atlanta Falcons' defense has been one of the biggest winners of 2025. The rookies have dazzled, A.J. Terrell has been shutdown, and Divine Deablo has silently been one of the best linebackers in football.
Following a Week 2 victory in Minnesota, the Falcons were on Cloud 9. But Terrell went down with a hamstring injury in the second quarter and will miss some time. Raheem Morris called him "week to week" earlier this week, but ruled the Pro Bowl cornerback out when addressing the media on Friday.
Falcons ruled out CB AJ Terrell for Sunday’s game at Carolina due to his hamstring injury.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 19, 2025
it is an expected but devastating blow for Jeff Ulbrich's defense with a matchup in Carolina on tap. Dee Alford is in line to draw the start in the 26-year-old's absence, which is not the biggest reason for optimism headed into a matchup against former top-10 pick Tetairoa McMillan. Atlanta's defense has the pieces to mitigate this loss, but it could hamper their shot at a road victory on Sunday.
A.J. Terrell's absence could doom the Falcons' season
Since being drafted in the first round in 2020, the Clemson product has been as consistent as they've come. He's started in every game he's played, and has appeared in 80 of the 85 possible games. The Rochester, New York native amassed six passes defensed, 66 total tackles, and two interceptions in 2024.
Yet in 2025, he's continued to be stellar, already tallying two pass breakups. The concern is that Atlanta lacks depth in the secondary without him. Billy Bowman Jr will continue to play in the nickel, but it'll likely be up to Alford, Mike Hughes, and Clark Phillips III to take over.
Phillips, a 2023 fourth-round pick out of Utah, was a healthy inactive in each of Atlanta's first two games of the season. He started 16 games as a rookie before the 23-year-old fell out of favor with then-DC Jimmy Lake in 2024.
The other option for Ulbrich and Morris is to turn to undrafted free agent Cobee Bryant. The former Kansas standout turned heads this summer, but battled some injury woes before getting cut.It's not unlikely he's signed to the active roster before Sunday to make his long-awaited NFL debut.
Without Terrell, Atlanta loses not just its best cover man, but also the steadying presence that allows the pass rush to get home and the linebackers to roam free. If the Falcons’ defense stumbles against Bryce Young on Sunday, this early-season momentum could unravel quickly.