The Atlanta Falcons were able to get a glimpse ofwhat their team could looklike when the season starts, when they opened the preseason against the Denver Broncos. It's safe to say that there wasn't much positive to take away from the game, especially from the starters. They didn't play much on either side of the ball, but it would've been good to see some more flashes from the group that's set to be on the field every Sunday.
The defense showed some good things, but the one area that needed some improvement from the game was at cornerback. Coming into the season, everyone knew that A.J. Terrell would be CB1, but there were questions about who would be alongside him. Last season it was Mike Hughes, and coming into training camp, it seemed as if he would be the obvious option again.
After the preseason opener, there should be a conversation on if that's the right choice, as Hughes struggled throughout the night. Though it's just the preseason, it's still something that the Falcons should take note of over the next few weeks.
The Falcons need to evaluate other options at CB2
As of now, the Falcons don't have any surefire options at CB2, but they do have some players who could compete for the job. Aveion Terrell, Clark Phillips III and C.J. Henderson are the other options who could compete for the CB2 spot, but it's hard to see them beat out Hughes as of now. Cobee Bryant is still trying to find some consistency on the field, and that showed throughout the game against the Broncos.
If the Falcons don't feel comfortable at the position, it wouldn't be a surprise if they went into the free agent market to find help. A trade could also be in the cards, but that should be for a player they know for sure could be the cornerback alongside Terrell.
The Falcons currently havequestion marks on the defensive linewith Jalon Walker out for the season and James Pearce Jr. suspended for eight games. If the pass rush isn't consistent as it was last season, that means the back end of the defense will be under pressure. The cornerback position will be more important than ever this season, and if they can't find a legit CB2, they could be in trouble.
At the same time, it could've just been a bad night for Hughes, and he has a chance to bounce back in the next two preseason games. It would still be good for the Falcons to continue to evaluate the position as the preseason continues.
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