Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford are rookies no more. That means more will be expected of the cornerbacks this season.

There is an old sports adage that says the mind needs to catch up with the body. With a year under their belts, a step in that direction is what Falcons coaches are after with the youngsters.

“They are doing a good job,” Falcons secondary coach Tim Lewis said. “They are both progressing, learning more and more every day. They are both very dynamic athletes. The talent level that both have is very good. So long as they maintain the talent and their skill level they will be fine.

“Because now what is happening is they are actually starting to learn the game. They are starting to learn how pro football is, what to expect. They are learning how they can become more greedy based on formation, based on motions, based on alignments, based on receivers tips and tendencies. They are starting to learn when those greedy opportunities will show up.”

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Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (8) celebrates his touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

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Waymo autonomous vehicles operate across 65 square miles inside I-285 and have been involved in six incidents with Atlanta Public School buses since May. Waymo issued a recall because of their cars briefly stopping or slowing down before continuing forward while a bus was stopped and flashing its lights. (Courtesy of Atlanta Public Schools)

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