Falcons Named Landing Spot for Champion CB After Missing on Jaire Alexander

The Atlanta Falcons will not be signing dream cornerback target Jaire Alexander. The two-time second-team All-Pro signed a contract with the Baltimore Ravens on Wednesday.

But there are other cornerback targets the Falcons could pursue still remaining in NFL free agency.

Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox argued Thursday that the Falcons are a logical landing spot for free agent Rasul Douglas.

"The Atlanta Falcons also should take a look at Douglas, especially if he can be had at a bargain price. (The Falcons have only $5.3 million of cap space.) Atlanta ranked 22nd in passing yards allowed last season, and assistant head coach Jerry Gray previously spent time with Douglas as the Packers' defensive backs coach," wrote Knox.

Money could have been why the Falcons didn't pursue Alexander. The veteran cornerback signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Ravens.

Although that would have fit under the salary cap for Atlanta, the Falcons wouldn't have been left with much remaining room. That's not what teams typically prefer in case injuries happen and veteran signings become necessary during the regular season.

Douglas possesses the type of experience the Falcons could use at cornerback this fall. He has appeared in 120 NFL games, starting 80 of them during his eight-year career.

The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Douglas at No. 99 overall in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He helped the team win the Super Bowl as a rookie.

Douglas has also played for the Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills. Last season, Douglas posted 58 combined tackles, including five tackles for loss with five pass defenses and one forced fumble in 15 starts with the Bills.

Buffalo acquired Douglas at the NFL trade deadline in 2023 from the Packers.

The Falcons didn't make any significant upgrades at outside cornerback this offseason, which has led pundits to argue the team should still make an acquisition at the position. Atlanta is set to start the same two cornerbacks -- A.J. Terrell and Mike Hughes -- from its defense a year ago when it was ranked No. 22 in pass defense.

Only the Carolina Panthers allowed more passing touchdowns than the Falcons last season.

During the 2025 NFL Draft, the Falcons added two defensive backs in Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman Jr. There's also considerable hype around undrafted free agent cornerback Cobee Bryant.

But Watts will play safety while Bowman and Bryant are projected to play in the slot.

Douglas could present an upgrade over Hilton opposite Terrell.