In what will come as a surprise to no one, the Atlanta Falcons announced earlier that they have exercised the 5th year option for outstanding cornerback Desmond Trufant.
We have exercised the 5th year option on CB Desmond Trufant. #RiseUphttps://t.co/gwU1bim9IW
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) April 22, 2016
As the 22nd pick in the 2013 NFL draft, Trufant came in with high expectations and has managed to meet and exceed all of them in his first few years in the league. Trufant was arguably one of the best defensive rookies of 2013 and made his first pro-bowl in 2015. His outstanding play is even more impressive when you consider he's done it on defenses that have been at the bottom of the league in pressuring opposing quarterbacks.
The fifth year option allows teams to "add" a fifth year on the contract of their first round draft picks, at a fixed guaranteed salary. In Trufant's case, he'll make about 8 million in the 2017 season - a relative bargain for a player of his caliber. You can rest assured that the Falcons are already making plans to get him locked up for the long-term, but the fifth year option guarantees he'll be here for the next two seasons at a minimum.
What do you think of the Falcons exercising the 5th year option on Trufant?