Falcons Secondary Concerned About 'Question Marks' Jeff Okudah, Mike Hughes?
The Atlanta Falcons secondary looks very different today than it did at the end of last season.
While A.J. Terrell, Richie Grant and Jaylinn Hawkins offer some carry-over from 2022, the team signed veterans Jessie Bates III and Mike Hughes, while trading for Jeff Okudah and drafting Clark Phillips III.
While there's a lot of optimism surrounding the secondary, Pro Football Focus isn't a fan of its outlook, ranking Atlanta's cornerbacks and safeties 23rd in the NFL.
"Terrell was one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL in 2021, but his 61.8 coverage grade in 2022 didn’t hold up to that standard," PFF writes. "The Falcons signed Bates in free agency to provide a stabilizing piece at the safety position, but Okudah and Hughes have disappointed so far in the NFL and remain question marks for the team."
Bates and Grant offer a ton of stability and could be the most underrated safety duo in the league, but PFF's low ranking stems towards bringing in Okudah and Hughes, two former first-round picks that could benefit from a change in scenery.
It remains to be seen how much Okudah and Hughes will be featured in the secondary, but both provide high upside if they can reach their potential from their original draft year. That being said, even if they don't perform up to standards, Bates and Terrell could propel this group to being average at worst.
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