The Atlanta Falcons have made their first big splash of NFL free agency by adding a Pro Bowl cornerback to a secondary that already features shutdown cover man A.J. Terrell.
Former Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders corner Casey Hayward will join the Falcons, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport:
Hayward’s arrival could mean Terrell, who excelled in 2021, finally has a capable partner across from him in the defensive backfield. Yet, it could also spark more speculation regarding who the Falcons might offer the Houston Texans in a possible trade package for quarterback Deshaun Watson.
ALL the latest Falcons news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Falcons newsletter here!
Hayward an Obvious Upgrade
The Falcons needed secondary help after allowing 3,952 yards through the air last season. They also let opposing quarterbacks complete 67.8 percent of their passes.
Hayward can help fix those issues because he’s proved to be a top-notch corner when healthy. The 32-year-old was a Pro Bowler following the 2016 and ’17 seasons.
Originally, a second-round pick for the Packers in 2012, Hayward has often played his best football from the slot. Having somebody take away the inside routes is vital for the Falcons, who can trust Terrell to lock up an opponents’ primary wide receiver on the outside.
Hayward has bounced around the league somewhat, but his numbers with the Raiders were decent in 2021, per Evan Birchfield of The Falcoholic, who referenced stats from Pro Football Focus:
• PFF’s 11th best CB overall (76.6) • PFF’s 12th best CB in coverage (75.5) • 3rd fewest receptions allowed (30) • 9th fewest total yards allowed (388)
Staying on the field has been a slight problem for Hayward. He dealt with hamstring issues early in his career, before a fractured foot caused him to miss time in 2015.
Hayward has only started a full season three times during his lengthy career, in 2017, ’18 and ’21. He’s experienced, savvy and skills will give Falcons’ defensive coordinator Dean Pees more flexibility about he’ll deploy his defensive backs this season.
The question now becomes has Hayward been signed to partner Terrell or maybe replace him?
Terrell Future Clouded by Watson Rumors
There’s an obvious connection between Terrell and Hayward. They share the same agent, according to PFF’s Ari Meirov:
As Meirov also pointed out, Watson shares that same agent. The Falcons remain in the mix to possibly trade for the 26-year-old quarterback, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen.
Any trade package is likely going to have to include multiple draft picks and players. Terrell could be in the mix, according to an idea from Sports Illustrated‘s Texans Daily and Falcon Report contributors Mike Fisher and Cole Thompson.
It seems fanciful the Falcons would include Terrell in any deal. Not after the 23-year-old developed into a marquee player at his position last season.
Terrell became a darling of the analytics community, with PFF in particular regularly singing his praises:
Signing Hayward should be about putting more talent around one of the few legitimate playmakers on the roster. It can’t be about adding a stop-gap to paper over the cracks after an ill-advised move to weaken what had become a position of strength.
Falcons Signing Pro Bowl Free-Agent Cornerback