The Falcons have one of the league’s younger projected set of starting cornerbacks, with rookie A.J. Terrell joining 2nd-year pro Kendall Sheffield and 3rd-year veteran Isaiah Oliver. If you include intriguing 2nd-year man Jordan Miller, who will be serving a short suspension early in the season, the Falcons have a remarkably young group of cornerbacks, with Blidi Wreh-Wilson serving as the only truly seasoned player in the mix.
It’s not surprising, then, that the Falcons might be consider signing a veteran cornerback. What is surprising is that they...just went ahead and signed one, and it’s one of the better free agents on the market in Darqueze Dennard.
There was a slight delay in hammering this deal out, but thankfully the Falcons did get it done, making it official Monday morning.
We have signed CB Darqueze Dennard.
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) August 3, 2020
- https://t.co/JX2WC2wFxj pic.twitter.com/2nAAenoqKZ
Dennard’s addition gives the Falcons quality veteran depth at minimum, and a potential starting option if they’re not thrilled with their current crop of corners. Dennard has started 24 games in his career, all of them with the Bengals, and has 3 interceptions, 22 pass deflections, and 3 sacks over the course of his career. His 72.2 grade from Pro Football Focus last year in 9 games and 5 starts was quite good, and he’s well-regarded for his coverage generally.
In Atlanta, Dennard compete with Terrell, Sheffield, and Oliver for a starting job. Terrell’s supposedly impressed the coaching staff in virtual work and the other two had their ups and downs a year ago, but the team getting a few days to look at their rookies and signing Dennard probably bodes poorly for at least one of those players. We’ll see who, if anyone, he manages to push out of a starting job, but the team’s cornerback group definitely improves with his signing and gives the team one more steady veteran to rely on if things go sideways. He and Blidi Wreh-Wilson are excellent depth at the absolute worst.
Welcome Darqueze Dennard to Atlanta, and let us know what you think of the signing.