Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Preview: Secondary Facing 2 Big Questions

The Atlanta Falcons have open competitions for starting spots at both cornerback and safety.

In an Atlanta Falcons secondary littered with questions, cornerback A.J. Terrell and safety Jessie Bates provide stability. / Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Two of the Atlanta Falcons' best players reside in the secondary in cornerback A.J. Terrell and safety Jessie Bates III - but around them, Atlanta has several questions entering training camp.

The lone notable departure from the defensive back room is cornerback Jeff Okudah, who signed with the Houston Texans in free agency after starting nine games in his lone season in Atlanta.

But the Falcons also didn't add much to the upper echelon of the room, instead adding veteran depth pieces such as Kevin King and Harrison Hand.

Perhaps the biggest change in the secondary comes on the staffing side, where Justin Hood takes over for Steve Jackson as the lead defensive back coach. Assistant head coach/defense Jerry Gray remains involved in the room.

Before Atlanta arrives for training camp July 24, Falcons on SI is previewing each position group. Click the link to read previews on the quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, tight ends, defensive linemen/edge rushers and linebackers.

Here's what to know about the Falcons' secondary entering 2024 ...

Two-Deep Depth Chart

No. 1 corner: A.J. Terrell, Anthony Johnson

No. 2 corner: Clark Phillips III, Mike Hughes

Nickel corner: Dee Alford, Antonio Hamilton Sr.

Free safety: Jessie Bates III, Micah Abernathy

Strong safety: DeMarcco Hellams, Richie Grant

Biggest Questions

1. Who starts next to Terrell - Phillips or Hughes?

Phillips, a fourth-round pick out of Utah in 2023, didn't see his first defensive action until Week 10 of his rookie year but soon proved too valuable to take off the field, unseating Okudah as Atlanta's second corner.

Entering the spring, Phillips appeared to be the internal favorite to remain the starter, but as OTAs and minicamp progressed, Hughes began seeing his share of first-team snaps. New head coach Raheem Morris said at the league owners meetings in March that he was pleasantly surprised by Hughes when reviewing film from last year.

Hughes, who played in 15 games with four starts at nickel last season, was a first-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2018, when Gray was the team's defensive back coach. Gray said he's started seeing Hughes get back to the player he was upon arrival in Minnesota, before injuries stunted his developmental track.

Training camp and joint practices with the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 6-7 will be big litmus tests for Phillips and Hughes. The battle is far from decided and may run late into camp if it's as competitive as it seemed toward the end of OTAs.

2. Can Grant beat out Hellams, reclaim his spot opposite Bates?

Similar to how Phillips took over for Okudah, Hellams ascended into a prominent role next to Bates after holding a smaller defensive role through the first half of the season.

Hellams, a seventh-round pick out of Alabama, had 40 tackles and one tackle for loss across 15 games with one start as a rookie. He's impressed Hood, Bates and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake with his work ethic and mental growth, and he feels more comfortable with a year of experience under his belt.

But Grant, who's entering a contract year after posting 103 tackles, three tackles for loss and six passes defended last season, has a fan in Morris.

When Morris took the head coaching role Jan. 25 and began watching film, he called Grant and apologized - no public comments were made, but Morris didn't realize the talent Grant possessed.

During the first portion of summer, Hellams consistently saw first-team snaps with Bates, but Grant rotated in several times. During minicamp, Grant took more starting snaps than Hellams.

Hellams appears to be the strong favorite to start, but Grant may have more of a chance than some think - and the 2021 second-round pick seems destined for a role in some fashion this fall.

3. What's next in Terrell's contract situation?

Atlanta picked up Terrell's fifth-year option on his rookie contract last April, and the 2021 second-team All-Pro will play this fall on a $12.344 million deal, according to OverTheCap.

But there's been no change since in Terrell's long-term status with the Falcons. That appears likely to change. From Morris, Hood and Gray to general manager Terry Fontenot, Terrell has a lot of fans in important places within Atlanta's organization.

And for good reason, as the 25-year-old Atlanta native has become a reliable starter at a position Fontenot dubbed "premier" this spring.

Should the Falcons choose to wait on extending Terrell, they'll enter next spring with a decision to make on a franchise tag while growing closer to the risk of letting him hit the open market. As things stand, the latter appears the worst-case scenario for the Falcons' brain trust - and something Morris and Fontenot would like to avoid.

Extracurriculars

The Falcons signed Anthony Johnson after their first two practices of OTAs, and by the end of minicamp less than a month later, he was rotating in with the first- and second-team defense. He's nicknamed "A.J. Two" in the room so there's no confusion between he and Terrell, and Gray believes he's going to be a good player.

Hand and Dane Cruikshank joined Johnson as signings that arose after OTAs began, and the two veterans provide experience to a room with plenty of young faces.

Elsewhere, King, like Hughes, has past experience with Gray. The two were together in 2020 and 2021 with the Green Bay Packers, but King hasn't played a snap since; he sat out the 2022 season due to personal reasons and tore his Achilles during offseason training in 2023.

The race to be Atlanta's No. 4 safety will ultimately come down to Abernathy, Cruikshank, Tre Tarpley III and Lukas Denis, but thus far, Abernathy seems to be in the driver's seat. Cruikshank is likely his closest competition.

The Falcons will hold two open practices this fall, one July 27 and the other Aug. 2. Additional information on time, location and tickets are available HERE. For Atlanta's training camp schedule, click HERE.