The Falcons' defensive back unit is ailing, and a key potential deadline acquisition just slipped away. The Titans traded cornerback Roger McCreary to the Rams on Monday morning, swiping the Falcons' chance at a cheap depth piece. A former second-round pick, McCreary is primarily a slot corner, but has some experience out wide.
The Falcons' main slot man this season, Billy Bowman Jr. missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. In his stead, Dee Alford stepped up and gained the Falcons' lone sack against the Dolphins. While Alford is a good depth piece, injuries have plagued this cornerback room, and more depth is a necessity.
After being the 35th overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Auburn, McCreary has struggled in Tennessee. After a solid rookie campaign, his numbers have plummeted year after year. The fourth-year man has allowed completions on 82% of the targets his direction this year, a career high.
Despite the bad optics, having a young, depth slot corner like McCreary is helpful, especially with the guys he'll be around.
Falcons missed out on trading for former SEC star Roger McCreary
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has stepped up this season and proved he's one of the NFL's top defensive minds. The Falcons have allowed one quarterback to for throw over 200 yards this season (205), so the Ulbrich influence would certainly aid the young corner.
McCreary is in the final year of his rookie contract, and if the Falcons traded for him, he would likely re-sign for next to nothing. But that also comes with the risk of him leaving this offseason.
General Manager Terry Fontenot and company missed the mark on this one, but time will tell if it is costly. Defensive depth is needed big time in Atlanta, especially in the secondary.
Jessie Bates, Bowman, and Terrell have all sustained varying levels of injuries this season, so a depth piece must be added for the defensive dominance to continue.
Unfortunately, this is the second move Fontenot and crew have sat back and watched opponents make. Just weeks ago, the Browns acquired Tyson Campbell from the Jags for Greg Newsome, with a couple of Day 3 picks sprinkled into the trade.
If the front office wants to sit back and watch other teams improve, that will only intensify the impatient fanbase. We're one week from the NFL trade deadline, and the Falcons haven't budged or been rumored to be involved in any trades yet.
The clock is ticking, and multiple positions must be filled for Atlanta to remain competitive. One of those positions is cornerback depth, or they risk those playoff hopes slipping away even further.