BREAKING: Atlanta Falcons, A.J. Terrell Agree to Record-Breaking Contract Extension

The Atlanta Falcons have taken care of one of their own with a record-breaking contract extension.

Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell gets a record-breaking contract. / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Falcons made a lot of noise in their secondary last week when they signed All-Pro safety Justin Simmons to a one-year contract. One of the reasons Simmons wanted to join the Falcons was the roster already in place.

Cornerback A.J. Terrell is one of those pieces that makes the Falcons defense look formidable heading into the 2024 season. The former-first-round draft pick is playing on his fifth-year option this year and was scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season.

But according to Ian Rapoport, the Falcons sewn up their star cornerback in a big way.

Sources: The #Falcons and CB AJ Terrell agreed on a 4-year extension worth $81M with $65.8M effectively fully guaranteed — 2nd highest paid CB ever.

The deal negotiated by @DavidMulugheta and Trevon Smith of @AthletesFirst has the largest guarantee ever for a CB on a 4-yr deal. pic.twitter.com/vWzr3N2Ss7

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 22, 2024

"Sources: The Falcons and CB AJ Terrell agreed on a 4-year extension worth $81M with $65.8M effectively fully guaranteed — 2nd highest paid CB ever," reported Rapoport on X. The deal negotiated by David Mulugheta and Trevon Smith of AthletesFirst has the largest guarantee ever for a CB on a 4-yr deal."

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With $66-million guaranteed, it's effectively a three-year $22-million per season contract with a club option that effectively keeps Terrell a Falcon through the 2027 season. The structure of the deal hasn't been released, but it's a safe bet he'll actually have a lower salary cap charge in 2025 than the $12.3 million he has in 2024.

It's an outstanding-early birthday present for Terrell who turns 26-years old in September. The Falcons drafted Terrell out of Clemson with the 16th-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He was the third cornerback taken in that draft behind former teammate Jeff Okudah (No. 3, Lions) and C.J. Henderson (No. 9, Jaguars).

It's safe to say in a re-draft, he wouldn't be the third cornerback off the board.

Former general manager Thomas Dimitroff received well-earned criticism for gross-salary cap and roster mismanagement across his tenure, especially the latter half. However, his final two drafts produced Terrell and Chris Lindstrom (No. 14 overall 2019), two cornerstones of this Falcons team.

Dimitroff received plenty of criticism for what was deemed a reach at the time when he took Terrell, but time and hindsight were kind to his selection.

Terrell was graded as a top-5 cornerback by Pro Football Focus in 2021 and named second-team All-Pro. He finished No. 24 last year. However, on the Falcons Podcast on Friday, we were asked who benefits the most with the addition of Matt Judon and Justin Simmons, and I answered A.J. Terrell.

Terrell has played cornerback on an island with the NFL's worst-pass rush over the course of his career. The safety play opposite Jessie Bates has been replacement-level worthy in his four seasons.

"I feel like one of the most under-valued things, just about myself, is that when I'm coming in, it's a multiplier factor," said Simmons at his introductory presser on Monday. "I can make everyone around us better. That's the communication with Jessie, with A.J., Kaden (Elliss). If all of us can be just a little bit better, it makes the group better."

He's now going to be part of, by far, the most talented unit he's suited up with as an Atlanta Falcon. He'll have a chance to let his skills shine instead of being overexposed on the back end of the defense that has too-many holes and too-little pass rush.

The Falcons always had faith in Terrell. And they put their money where there mouth was on Thursday, taking care of one of their own.