Atlanta Falcons rookie cornerback Avieon Terrell is expected to make his starting debut on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, replacing injured C.J. Henderson. It marks a long-awaited starting debut for the team’s top selection in the 2026 NFL Draft and could give Atlanta a glimpse of a bright future for its secondary.
Although Henderson is the player Terrell is stepping in for, most people want to swap out Mike Hughes, who will start opposite Terrell against the Bears. It’s been a rough year for Hughes, who has
repeatedly been a punching bag, whether it’s Henderson or Avieon’s elder brother, A.J., manning the opposite spot. Per PFF, Hughes has allowed 288 receiving yards, the third-highest among all NFL corners. He’s also allowing a 69 percent completion rate, which stands out negatively for a Falcons defense that has allowed the seventh-lowest completion rate, 61 percent. Hughes, in particular, has struggled to prevent easy completions and explosive plays in zone coverage, allowing 83 percent of passes completed against him and 16 yards per attempt in PFF’s zone charting.
But despite Hughes’ early-season struggles, the Falcons have been reluctant to bench him for Avieon Terrell. The team has been slow-playing Terrell’s development, unlike how it handled every other defensive rookie over the past two seasons under defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. A.J.’s Week 2 groin injury gave the team every excuse to give Avieon a longer look over the past three games. Still, outside of platooning for a few series with both Henderson and Hughes, the team has been reluctant to give the younger Terrell brother a longer look. Now Henderson’s injury will force their hand.
Avieon’s promising early returns
Terrell has looked good both inside and outside, and Ulbrich recently expressed optimism about Avieon’s long-term outlook at outside corner. PFF’s charting shows the younger Terrell allowing just 58 percent of passes completed against him, dipping to 50 percent and just 4 yards per attempt when he’s playing in zone. Terrell was at his best in zone at Clemson, so it’s no surprise the early returns have been promising despite the small sample size of four zone targets.
Ulbrich has repeatedly heaped praise on veterans like Henderson and Hughes whenever he’s at the microphone, but that often feels like standard coachspeak. Ulbrich is glowing about all his players, which can annoy other coaches. Still, because his defenses have been consistently getting positive results, Ulbrich gets a pass, especially since the Falcons have developed a legitimate pass rush for the first time in decades.
However, the results could be even better if the team had better back-end coverage, and early signs suggest Terrell has enormous potential to provide that, especially if Hughes is benched in his favor. With older brother A.J. eligible to return to the roster off injured reserve next week, the Falcons could soon have two Terrell brothers manning both outside spots. This makes this weekend’s Bears game a critical one for Avieon’s near-term outlook. Depending on Sunday’s results, it could completely change the outlook for the Falcons secondary in the long term.
Avieon is auditioning for 2027 and beyond
Currently, the Falcons have Billy Bowman and Sydney Brown handling the team’s slot reps in nickel and big nickel, a role Avieon had before the former returned in Week 3. With Bowman and Brown holding down the slot role for now, Avieon’s immediate path to more playing time appears to be at outside cornerback. After this season, Henderson is a free agent, and Hughes has no more guarantees on his contract, giving Atlanta a natural opportunity to make a pivot at the outside spot in 2027. Avieon is the first to audition for that role, and should he pass, it becomes one less need the Falcons may be looking to address entering next offseason.
However, if Terrell struggles against the Bears and in any subsequent games where he gets an extended look outside, he might be forced to bump back inside to the slot in 2027. That could prompt the Falcons to target a high-priced free agent as part of their offseason strategy to upgrade the roster, using a league-leading amount of cap space.
Avieon can cause ripple effects across Falcons secondary
Bumping Terrell back inside could change Bowman and Brown’s 2027 roles, as either could move to safety. Jessie Bates is also a free agent after this season, and the Falcons could look to get younger and cheaper at the position, depending on how the rest of 2026 goes.
Terrell’s performance against the Bears could have ripple effects on the entire secondary this year and beyond. The Falcons have leaned into Terrell’s versatility so far, using him at both inside and outside, which makes sense given the team’s cornerback injuries and the fact that he’s still a rookie. But by 2027, the Falcons will need to start cementing a long-term plan for Terrell.
Right now, it’s trending towards him being a strong option at outside cornerback. Whether Sunday’s Bears matchup is a temporary spot start or the early launch of a years-long starting streak, Avieon’s long-awaited audition has arrived. If the rookie delivers, he’ll give Atlanta another foundational piece in their secondary for years to come, matching the other young building blocks they’ve mined so effectively in recent drafts. Cornerback is the one defensive piece that has eluded the Falcons, but Avieon’s emergence means that the secondary’s bright future is finally at hand.
