Falcons predicted to sign $13M high-upside AJ Terrell partner with strong Kevin Stefanski ties

Flowery Branch, Ga.—With the legal tampering window barely 24 hours old, the Atlanta Falcons have already created both cap space and headlines, releasing wide receiver Darnell Mooney on Monday while simultaneously locking in quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on a one-year pact. Yet the front office’s most intriguing move may still be on the horizon: adding a premium cornerback to pair with Pro Bowl cover man AJ Terrell.

Multiple league sources expect the Falcons to pursue Cleveland castoff Greg Newsome II, a 6-foot-1, 192-pound boundary defender who was dealt from Kevin Stefanski’s Browns to Jacksonville midway through last season. Newsome, 24, is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency and projects to command a deal in the $13 million-per-year range—money Atlanta freed up in part by moving on from Mooney and restructuring other contracts.

The fit is obvious. Mike Hughes filled in valiantly at CB2 a year ago but is not viewed as the long-term solution opposite Terrell. Newsome brings the length, mirroring ability and press-man experience that defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake covets, and he already owns intimate knowledge of Stefanski’s culture and practice habits from their shared time in Cleveland.

“Reuniting Stefanski with Newsome would do exactly what this roster needs—add a high-upside complement to an existing star,” Blogging Dirty’s Greyson Freestone noted Monday. “The Falcons aren’t rebuilding; they’re retooling for a playoff push. A Terrell-Newsome pairing gives them legitimate matchup flexibility against the NFC South’s evolving receiver corps.”

Atlanta finished 7-10 last season, surrendering 7.1 yards per pass attempt—middle of the pack, but numbers that ballooned against elite wideouts. Management believes a second boundary lockdown artist could flip those results. Newsome allowed a 79.1 passer rating when targeted in Jacksonville’s scheme, per team analytics, and surrendered only one touchdown over the final eight games.

Negotiations cannot become official until the new league year opens Wednesday, yet the Falcons have positioned themselves as aggressive suitors. If the sides reach an accord, Newsome’s arrival would cap an eventful week that already saw Tagovailoa’s one-year contract agreed to and Mooney’s release designated.

For a franchise seeking its first postseason berth since 2017, the math is simple: surround franchise cornerstones with proven, scheme-familiar talent. In Newsome, Atlanta sees both familiarity and upside—an investment it hopes will finally push the team over the hump.