Coming into the NFL Draft, the Falcons had a few glaring holes on the roster that most expected them to fill.
So, when Atlanta selected Michael Penix with their top pick, feelings of shock would be an understatement. However, Terry Fontenot took defenders with the team’s next four selections, including three defensive linemen.
All in all, the Falcons did address one facet of their pass rush, but there are two components of a consistent pass rush. There are those who pressure the quarterback and those who drop back into coverage, and the Falcons didn’t bring in a corner.
When asked why he bypassed the position, Fontenot had a less-than-ideal response on Saturday during his post-draft press conference.
Fontenot on not drafting a cornerback: "We would have liked to add that position, but you do’t want to force a reach or do something you shouldn’t." #Falcons
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) April 27, 2024
“We would have liked to add that position, but you don’t want to force a reach or do something you shouldn’t,” Fontenot replied.
That’s a pretty damning response following one of the most shocking moves in draft history, selecting a quarterback less than two months after signing Kirk Cousins to a $180 million deal.
The Falcons’ cornerback room isn’t in a great spot. A.J. Terrell is obviously the star of the group, but the rest is a lot of hopes and prayers.
In no world should a championship-hopeful team be relying on Mike Hughes, Dee Alford, and Clark Phillips to occupy two starting positions in the secondary. Imagine if Terrell misses significant time with an injury. That would force Hughes, Alford, and Phillips into starting roles.
The Falcons can dip back into free agency to bring in a starting-caliber cornerback, but this is exactly the reason I was pounding the table for Terry Fontenot to bring in a starting-caliber pass rusher and cornerback before the draft because you never know how it’s going to shake out.
It’s a defense that looks like it’s going to be more of a liability than an asset at this point. I hope I’m wrong.
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Photographer: Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire
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