Does Falcons CB Casey Hayward Still Have 'Juice In The Tank'? - PFF

Hayward signed a two-year contract with the Falcons earlier this offseason.

Jeremy Brener | Jun 9, 2022

When the Atlanta Falcons signed cornerback Casey Hayward in free agency, the goal was to form one of the best defensive back duos in the league between him and A.J. Terrell.

Hayward, who turns 33 just before the season starts, is entering his 11th season in the NFL, but does the two-time Pro Bowler have enough juice in the tank still?

Pro Football Focus believes so, listing him as the 18th-best outside cornerback in the league.

"The underrated Hayward has been the NFL’s most valuable cornerback since 2016, according to PFF WAR, with all but one of those seasons being played under defensive coordinator Gus Bradley," Pro Football Focus wrote. "Even at 32 years old in Las Vegas last season, the 5-foot-11, 192-pounder allowed less than 30 yards in 15 of his 18 games played. How Hayward will fare in a new system as he enters his older football years in Atlanta will be something to monitor. Going from a system that had him play Cover 3 roughly 60% of the time to something more diverse isn’t going to be easy, but his top-tier coverage ability is unquestionable."

Despite the change in scheme, it's a challenge Hayward is ready to take head on. Even though the Falcons are being dismissed as a true contender for the 2022 season, Hayward didn't sign with Atlanta to lose.

"Who says that we can't [win]?" Hayward said earlier in the offseason. "You just never know. Every year is a different year. You never know how these things pan out. You never know how each year guys on the team get better and things like that."

If the Falcons are going to win, Hayward is going to have to use some of the juice he has left in the tank.

Published Jun 9, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.