After the Atlanta Falcons signed A.J. Woods to the practice squad on Tuesday afternoon, it spelled trouble regarding Mike Hughes' future in Atlanta. The Falcons have a surplus of reliable players in their secondary, but after starting the season strong, Hughes has been viscerally terrible as of late.
In the Week 8 loss to the Dolphins, Hughes surrendered four receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown, as he was the defender in coverage on Jaylen Waddle's 43-yard touchdown in the third quarter, Additionally, he allowed a season-high 17.8 yards per reception in Sunday's 34-10 defeat.
The UCF product was quietly one of Atlanta's best cornerbacks in 2024, but 2025 has told a different story. Dee Alford has been out-playing him to the point where when Billy Bowman Jr. returns from his hamstring injury, it wouldn't be surprising to see Hughes be pulled from the starting lineup altogether.
Mike Hughes is reaching a pivotal point in his time with the Falcons
Something worth noting is that the former first-round pick signed a three-year, $18 million extension to remain in Atlanta through 2028 this offseason. It would be a shock to see the team cut him, but with less than a week until the trade deadline, a trade could be more likely.
There is a glaring need for cornerbacks across the NFL, so it's not like Terry Fontenot won't have suitors. However, it's worth considering if shedding Hughes' salary is worth a measly Day 3 pick swap. As bad as he's been, at least he could provide Jeff Ulbrich's defense with a trusted depth piece.
Woods was a 2024 undrafted free agent who has enjoyed stints in Washington, Philadelphia, and Denver before landing with the Dirty Birds. With Bowman still banged up, Alford, Natrone Brooks, and Mike Ford Jr. saw more work from the nickel, but the Pitt product could soon make his NFL debut.
Over the last three weeks, Hughes has been getting thrown at far more frequently. The 28-year-old has given up 12 receptions on a staggering 23 targets since Week 6 against the Bills—and even A.J. Terrell's return hasn't done much to help him return to his 2024 self.
Due to his versatility and ability to play both in the nickel and operate as an outside corner, it would be no surprise if Hughes gets traded. The North Carolina native will almost certainly remain a Falcon after Tuesday afternoon, but he's on the wrong side of the secondary depth chart.