Falcons cornerback Robert Alford signed a $38-million four-year contract extension with the team on Thursday.
Alford has battled getting penalties throughout his career, but plays fast and covers well. The contact has $21 million in guaranteed money.
Alford has played in 53 games with 41 starts for the Falcons. His deal averages $9.5 million, which would make him the 12th highest paid cornerback in 2016.
Also, his deal is lower than the one signed in August by Detroit cornerback Darius Slay, who received a five-year extension for $51.3 million and $23 million guaranteed.
The top paid cornerbacks in 2016 are New York Jet Darrelle Revis ($17 million), Seattle’s Richard Sherman ($14.7 million) and Los Angeles’ Trumaine Johnson ($13.9 million).
Falcons coach Dan Quinn has shown extreme patience and support for Alford, who’s was stacking up penalties at an alarming rate earlier this season. He has improved his play lately.
Alford, who was in the final year of his four-year $3.4 million rookie contract, has committed 10 penalties for 120 yards this season.
Quinn is in love with Alford’s athletic ability and speed to stick to receivers. He apparently is comfortable that defensive back coach Marquand Manuel can succeed in coaching Alford into showing more poise and stop using his hands so much.
Alford, a second-round pick out of Southeastern Louisiana in 2013, was penalized in five of the first six games. He played a clean game against New Orleans and has settled down recently.
Of the 10 penalties, six have been defensive pass interference calls. He’s also had a taunting penalty, unnecessary roughness, defensive holding and an illegal use of hands.
In 2015 and 2014, he had nine penalties, including four defensive pass interference calls. As a rookie he had seven penalties and two defensive pass interference calls.
With the extension, the Falcons must believe that Alford can solve this problem or that they can live with a few bad plays to go along with his speed and coverage skills.
Alford has recorded nine interceptions, returning two of those interceptions for touchdowns, during his career. His two defensive touchdowns rank tied for first among players selected in the 2013 NFL Draft, and his nine interceptions rank second. In week four versus the Carolina Panthers, Alford recorded two interceptions and became one of three players since 2014 with three multi-interception games.
Alford has also recorded 135 total tackles and 45 pass deflections during his time in Atlanta. The Hammond, Louisiana native currently has 12 passes defensed on the season, which leads the team.
This season, Alford stepped up in a major way when Pro Bowl cornerback Desmond Trufant went down with a season ending injury.
Since week nine, Alford has only allowed 12 receptions, which is the third-lowest mark allowed by a cornerback who has played 75-percent of his team’s defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus – only Richard Sherman (eight) and Darrelle Revis (11) have allowed fewer receptions.
The Falcons also recently signed right tackle Ryan Schraeder to a five-year contract extension.
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