'I Feel Ready!' Falcons DB Mike Hughes Injury Status Uncertain vs. Panthers

Atlanta Falcons cornerback Mike Hughes detailed his injury recovery and discussed whether he feels capable of playing this Sunday versus the Carolina Panthers.

The Atlanta Falcons will boast a new-look defense in Sunday's season opener against the Carolina Panthers, headlined by new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen and a number of high-profile free agency additions.

When thinking about the personnel upgrades, most minds wander to safety Jessie Bates III or defensive linemen David Onyemata and Calais Campbell.

But how about cornerback Mike Hughes?

The Falcons were pleased with what Isaiah Oliver brought to the nickel corner spot last season, but when it came time to make a decision this spring, they opted for Hughes, who will receive more guaranteed money than Oliver and has a larger overall salary across the same two-year window.

Hughes' story isn't about Oliver, though - he's in Atlanta because both sides feel he's a good fit under Nielsen and assistant head coach/defense Jerry Gray, who was the defensive backs coach in Minnesota when the Vikings make Hughes their first-round pick in 2018.

This summer didn't necessarily go according to plan for Hughes, who lost out on the nickel corner and punt return jobs to Dee Alford before suffering a hip flexor injury during Atlanta's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins.

As a result, Hughes has been away from the field for much of the past three weeks ... but returned to practice on Monday ahead of this Sunday's contest and walked off the gridiron with positive emotions about where he's at physically.

"Felt good," Hughes said. "Just trying to take it slow, day-by-day, but I feel pretty good for the most part."

Good enough to play in Week 1? When asked, Hughes hesitated, smiled and pondered for a few seconds before providing an uncertain response.

"For the most part, I feel ready," Hughes said. "But we're just going to be smart about things and take it day-by-day."

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Hughes, 26, has turned words into actions, legitimately working each day to better his body and mind for the season, which he noted is important not only for getting back against Carolina but also staying healthy through an 18-week season.

The biggest keys to doing so include focusing on the little details, Hughes said, singling out sleep and recovery as two important aspects.

Now entering his sixth professional season, Hughes understands what it takes to survive between now and January, largely because he learned what not to do early in his career.

In two of his first three years, Hughes missed at least 10 games apiece due to injury, which played a big role in preventing his success in Minnesota.

But over the past two seasons, the former University of Central Florida standout has missed just one game, showing growth in how he's taken care of his body.

Take, for example, Hughes staying in Flowery Branch over this past long weekend, which is slated to be the Falcons' last off days until the middle of November, sans potential Victory Mondays.

How did Hughes spend his time off? Rehabbing inside the team's facilities, continuing to take things slow with an eye towards the bigger picture.

It's important to note that Hughes, who's listed as the Falcons' second-string cornerback and punt and kick returner on the depth chart, hasn't been completely removed from the team during his time rehabbing; he's been in all of the meetings and stressed the need to stay "tapped in" even while being away from on-field activities.

Hughes knows it's far from ideal missing nearly half of training camp, especially while trying to learn a new defense ... but he's doing everything in his power to minimize the damage and be as prepared as possible for whenever his opportunity may come.

"Being coachable when you're not out there, taking all of the mental reps, that's very important," Hughes said. "Because when you get out there, you don't want to feel like a step behind, which you already will be because you haven't been out there.

"Just being on top of that in the classroom helps me get that even playing field when I'm out there healthy physically."

The question now becomes when, exactly, Hughes will "get out there," but regardless, he's close; his return to practice is certainly a positive development, and Falcons coach Arthur Smith expressed optimism in the progress that's been made, which Hughes echoed.

"Things are rolling pretty well right now," Hughes said.

Atlanta and Carolina will kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with Hughes cautiously optimistic that he'll be able to make his Falcons debut, proving both himself and the front office right in their decision to come together this year.