Falcon Report

Falcons Secondary Concerned About 'Question Marks' Jeff Okudah, Mike Hughes?

The Atlanta Falcons took some gambles by trading for Jeff Okudah and signing Mike Hughes, two former first-round picks, this offseason.
Jeremy Brener|
Falcons Secondary Concerned About 'Question Marks' Jeff Okudah, Mike Hughes?
Falcons Secondary Concerned About 'Question Marks' Jeff Okudah, Mike Hughes?

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Atlanta Falcons

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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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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