ORLANDO — The Falcons picked up cornerback A.J. Terrell’s $12.3 million fifth-year option in April of last year.
Terrell, who played at Westlake High and Clemson, can play next season under his rookie deal, but the team will need to work an extension to keep him from becoming a free agent next offseason.
“Well, again, we’ll never get into those private conversations,” Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said recently at the league meetings. “Those are things that we’ll talk specifically with him and his agent about at the appropriate time. (We’ll) make everyone aware of it. But again, love A.J. and everything he’s about.”
Last offseason, the Falcons signed right guard Chris Lindstrom to a lucrative five-year, $105 million contract extension in March heading into his fifth season.
After signing quarterback Kirk Cousins last month to a four-year contract worth up to $180 million, making other moves and restructuring Taylor Heinicke’s contract, the Falcons are only $6.3 million under the salary cap.
That’s just enough room for the coming rookie class, which will account for about $5.9 million of the salary cap, lowered from $12.3 million by the top-51 rule (only the top 51 salaries count toward the cap).
The Falcons can do some fancy NFL accounting – converting bonuses on their bigger contracts – to create enough room for a big Terrell contract.
His agent didn’t immediately respond to a text message.
But Terrell is in good standing with the Falcons and new coach Raheem Morris, who was with the team when the Falcons selected Terrell with the 16th overall pick in the 2020 draft.
“What’s cool about A.J. is I remember the first day I got here several years ago, he was one of the first people I saw in the building,” Fontenot said. “He was constantly in the building, and he’s still like that. The worker, the consummate pro that he is. That’s what you get excited about because that’s a hard position.”
The Falcons have seen a revolving door at the cornerback opposite of Terrell. Fabian Moreau, Casey Hayward and Jeff Okudah have been the main right corners over the past three seasons.
“It’s one of the hardest positions in the league, right?” Fontenot said. “The cornerback position … everybody else gets to do things (while moving) forward, and they know where they’re going, but you’re moving backwards. You don’t know where you’re going. ... The mindset that he has (and) the way that he works, he’s just a consummate pro.
“We talked about pass-rushers, cover cornerback is a premier position. But love everything about A.J.”
Morris was the interim head coach for the final 11 games of Terrell’s rookie season.
“A.J. Terrell, seeing him as young (player), being here when we drafted him was really awesome for me,” Morris said. “Just watching what he’s developed into (an NFL player).”
Terrell, a physical tackler who has matched up against the opposition’s top receiver at times, was second-team All-Pro in 2021. He has started all 61 games that he’s played in.
Using average per year, Green Bay’s Jaire Alexander is the top paid cornerback in the league, at $21 million, followed by Cleveland’s Denzel Ward at $20.1 million, Miami’s Jalen Ramsey at $20 million and Baltimore’s Marlon Humphrey at $19.5 million.
The most recent deal was Tennessee signing L’Jarius Sneed, who signed a four-year, $76 million deal ($19.1 million average, with $44 million guaranteed).
Overall, Morris, was impressed when he evaluated the Falcons defensive backs from last season.
“(Clark Phillips) played on the outside last year,” Morris said. “Also, (he has) the ability to play inside. Him and (Dee) Alford, both. Alford brings some safety value, also some nickel value. You see those guys being flexible.”
Morris retained assistant coach Jerry Gray to help to maintain some stability in the secondary.
“You really have to give their coach Jerry Gray, what he’s done here since he’s been here, a lot of credit for what he’s been able to do with some of the movable parts.”
Morris went even deeper into the roster.
“Michael Hughes getting here and really being pleasantly surprised watching him play,” Morris said. “How hard they played and how well they tackled, some of the things they did in the secondary really fired me up. We’ll add some more people to that room, some more young pieces.
“What I’ve seen on tape, I get excited. I know it’s an area of need, so to speak, but those guys played pretty well last year when you go back and look at the tape.”
