The Atlanta Falcons have open competitions for starting spots at both cornerback and safety.
' best players reside in the secondary in cornerback A.J. Terrell and safety Jessie Bates III - but around them, Atlanta has several questions entering training camp.
Perhaps the biggest change in the secondary comes on the staffing side, where Justin Hood takes over for Steve Jackson as the lead defensive back coach. Assistant head coach/defense Jerry Gray remains involved in the room.No. 2 corner: Clark Phillips III, Mike HughesPhillips, a fourth-round pick out of Utah in 2023, didn't see his first defensive action until Week 10 of his rookie year but soon proved too valuable to take off the field, unseating Okudah as Atlanta's second corner.
Training camp and joint practices with the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 6-7 will be big litmus tests for Phillips and Hughes. The battle is far from decided and may run late into camp if it's as competitive as it seemed toward the end of OTAs.Similar to how Phillips took over for Okudah, Hellams ascended into a prominent role next to Bates after holding a smaller defensive role through the first half of the season.
When Morris took the head coaching role Jan. 25 and began watching film, he called Grant and apologized - no public comments were made, but Morris didn't realize the talent Grant possessed. But there's been no change since in Terrell's long-term status with the Falcons. That appears likely to change. From Morris, Hood and Gray to general manager Terry Fontenot, Terrell has a lot of fans in important places within Atlanta's organization.
Hand and Dane Cruikshank joined Johnson as signings that arose after OTAs began, and the two veterans provide experience to a room with plenty of young faces.
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