PFF’s free agent signing for the Falcons with the most upside
The Falcons most notable offseason moves were saying goodbye to Grady Jarrett and Drew Dalman, but there were a couple of free agent acquisitions that could surprise. Atlanta spent $14 million on Divine Deablo, so there has to be a certain expectation that he’ll contribute. Leonard Floyd inked a $10 million contract, and the Falcons […] The post PFF’s free agent signing for the Falcons with the most upside appeared first on SportsTalkATL.com.
The Falcons most notable offseason moves were saying goodbye to Grady Jarrett and Drew Dalman, but there were a couple of free agent acquisitions that could surprise.
Atlanta spent $14 million on Divine Deablo, so there has to be a certain expectation that he’ll contribute. Leonard Floyd inked a $10 million contract, and the Falcons need him to be among the defense’s leaders in sacks.
However, in terms of the upside, Pro Football Focus believes Mike Hughes provides the most, who agreed to a three-year deal worth $18 million following a very impressive 2024 campaign in Atlanta.
“A year after deploying Hughes mostly from the slot, the Falcons moved him to the outside in 2024. His career splits suggest it was a wise decision: Before this past season, Hughes owned a 73.8 PFF coverage grade from a wide alignment (1,480 snaps) and a 38.8 mark from the slot (725 snaps).
He proceeded to post a 71.5 PFF coverage grade from the outside, ranking 23rd among 93 qualifying cornerbacks. The former first-round pick earned a three-year contract for his work, and the Falcons’ defense should now reap the rewards for just $6 million per year.”
There weren’t many Falcons defenders that met preseason expectations last year, and there were even fewer that exceeded those expectations. Mike Hughes was one of the few.
The underwhelming individual performances may have had something to do with Jimmy Lake. At least, that’s what I chalk it up to, but Hughes thrived. The Falcons haven’t had the same starting boundary cornerback opposite of A.J. Terrell for two seasons in a row since he was drafted out of Clemson. That’s seemingly going to change in 2025 with Hughes back in the fold.
As far as the upside goes, I’m not quite sure Hughes has much more room to grow, but when considering the price tag, it’s a sweetheart deal if he can perform at the level he did in 2024. $6 million per season for a starting cornerback is pennies in today’s NFL.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
The post PFF’s free agent signing for the Falcons with the most upside appeared first on SportsTalkATL.com.
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