Give Falcons GM Terry Fontenot His Flowers After A.J. Terrell Contract Extension

Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot has made three significant moves over the past eight days.

Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot has enjoyed a stellar week of transactions. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

When Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris spoke Monday about the team's additions of outside linebacker Matt Judon and safety Justin Simmons, he brought up general manager Terry Fontenot impromptu.

"You just never know," Morris said about adding more receivers to an injury-riddled room. "Terry is upstairs busy right now. Who knows what's going to happen after we come out of practice today? You guys might have more reports and ask me more questions tomorrow."

Evidently, Fontenot was busy -- and while the move didn't come the day after, it broke Thursday morning, when the Falcons and cornerback A.J. Terrell agreed to a four-year, $81 million contract extension with $65.8 million in guarantees.

Among corners, Terrell's deal is the second-largest and has the most guarantees on a four-year deal in NFL history.

And really, extending Terrell was merely the conclusion of a strong eight-day stretch for Fontenot, who made two high-level acquisitions in outside linebacker Matt Judon -- via trade with the New England Patriots -- and free agent safety Justin Simmons before keeping Atlanta's top corner for the foreseeable future.

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This spring, the Falcons committed significant capital to revamping their offense, which ranked No. 26 league-wide last season.

They gave quarterback Kirk Cousins a four-year, $180 million contract and added a plethora of pass catchers, with Morris noting receivers Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud and tight ends Charlie Woerner and Ross Dwelley -- players who, Morris said, will be "really productive" for the Falcons.

All the while, Atlanta kept an eye on its future, selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall to eventually replace Cousins.

The decision turned heads around the league, and most reacted with backlash toward Fontenot. But now, with the friendly nature of hindsight, most of the pieces have fallen into place.

Atlanta, by way of acquiring a four-time All-Pro in Simmons and four-time Pro Bowler in Judon, added two players fit for a win-now team. Beforehand, it felt like the Falcons were committed to winning in 2024 -- the Cousins deal alone showed that -- but perhaps not all-in.

When he was hired in late January, Morris said Blank made clear the expectations he had for this season: Win.

Yet after free agency, the draft and even the first three weeks of training camp, Atlanta had significant questions in its secondary and pass rush. Injuries to safety DeMarcco Hellams and third-round rookie outside linebacker Bralen Trice led to fewer possible answers.

Then came Judon, who has 32 sacks in his last 38 games, and a day after came Simmons, who's made 19 interceptions in the past four seasons.

And perhaps most importantly, the Falcons not only added high-level football players, but also people who Morris believes will enhance the locker room culture.

"You look at players, you want to add positive people," Morris said. "You want to add the people that fit your ethos, and how you work, and how you go about your business. Just talking to those guys, trying to figure out what we wanted, and how they were going to fit our football team, and what it would look like moving forward, you really felt good about it."

Then, the Falcons extended Terrell, a deal that's been in the works for several months. And in a time where many players hold out or send public messages to their team, Terrell has shown up to work each day with confidence his future would find resolution -- an ode to the trust Fontenot has built with players. Terrell also attended Atlanta's recruiting dinner with Simmons before the signing.

Fontenot's relationships go beyond contracts and quick chats. He'll often ask his veterans what they think about adding specific players before the Falcons act any further. He's open and highly communicative, said All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III, who appreciates the work Fontenot has done to add high-character pieces.

"Terry and the guys upstairs have done a good job of bringing in really good football players, but really good people, as well," Bates said. "That's what we want to be about. That's what an Atlanta Falcon is -- a great player that's consistent, you can rely on them, but also a great person and teammate."

Since arriving in January 2021, Fontenot's tenure as general manager hasn't been without bumps. There's been quarterback controversy, questions about resource allocation and three-consecutive 7-10 seasons.

But there's also been an entire rebuild, including a salary-cap overhaul, that now has Atlanta in prime position to snap a six-year playoff drought. There's a revitalized culture, a reignited belief and a sense of urgency to win.

And for that, Fontenot deserves his flowers -- and with the way he works, he may have more coming in the days ahead.

"To say I'm shocked that our front office did it again in that way, in that form, in that fashion, I'm not," Morris said after landing Judon. "I’m not getting accustomed to it either, but I'm loving the fact that they're obsessed with acquiring talent and trying to make us be the best version of ourselves.”