Disclaimer: The statements and opinions regarding players and/or potential future players in the article below are those of the AtlantaFalcons.com editorial staff and are not indicative of the Atlanta Falcons' football personnel unless noted in a direct quote.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — A memo from the NFL Wednesday afternoon informed teams the salary cap for each club would be between $277.5 million and $281.5 million, according to multiple reports.
The final figure will be determined at a future date after discussions with the NFL Players Association, but the announcement grabbed immediate headlines. The salary cap rose by $30.6 million from 2023 to 2024, the largest single-year jump in league history, and now it is set to rise by at least another $20 million.
That is good news for the Atlanta Falcons, who entered the offseason already over the projected salary cap for the 2025 season. While it remains to be seen if this increase will take them out of the red, entirely, it should allow for a bit more flexibility in retaining or recruiting free agents.
Cornerback could be a position near the top of Atlanta's shopping list this year. Mike Hughes, who started opposite A.J. Terrell when healthy, will be an unrestricted free agent. Dee Alford, the team's starting slot corner the last two seasons, will be a restricted free agent. Backups Kevin King and Antonio Hamilton Jr. are also set to hit the open market.
It's entirely possible at least one of those players is back in Atlanta next season, but there are also some intriguing options they could take a look at during free agency. Bearing in mind the potential costs associated with top-tier cornerbacks, here are five players the Falcons could consider adding to their secondary next year.

Carlton Davis
Age: 28
2024 team: Detroit Lions
2024 stats: 13 starts, 13 appearances | 56 tackles, 42 solo | 11 pass defenses, 2 interceptions | 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries
The interest: A former second-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018, Davis is a player many Falcons fans are likely already familiar with. He was traded to the Detroit Lions at the start of the new league year last offseason, and he turned in a very good year for one of the NFL's best teams. Unfortunately, Davis fractured his jaw in Week 15 and missed the remainder of the season. That type of injury shouldn't impact his future play, though, and Davis would give Atlanta a high-caliber tandem at cornerback. He'll be expensive — potentially out of the Falcons' price range — but this would be the top-shelf pick.

Kristian Fulton
Age: 26
2024 team: Los Angeles Chargers
2024 stats: 14 starts, 15 appearances | 51 tackles, 39 solo | 7 pass defenses, 1 interception | 3 tackles for a loss
The interest: When looking for someone to play opposite of Terrell in 2025, the Falcons might consider another one of the top prospects from his draft class. Fulton was viewed as a top-5 cornerback in the 2020 NFL Draft and was ultimately selected in the second round by the Tennessee Titans. He spent four years in Tennessee — three as a starter — before signing with the Chargers as a free agent last year. Fulton matches the profile of some other corners the Falcons have signed in recent offseasons — a former top-tier college player still in his prime with an affordable price tag.

Mike Hughes
Age: 28
2024 team: Atlanta Falcons
2024 stats: 15 starts, 15 appearances | 66 tackles, 51 solo | 6 pass defenses, 0 interceptions | 4 tackles for a loss
The interest: It's entirely in play that Atlanta works to bring back Hughes for the future. He was a bright spot in 2024 after winning a camp battle for the No. 2 corner job. His performance played a large role in making the Falcons just one of two teams (Eagles) to hold offenses to under 10 yards per catch last season. Perhaps Hughes will want to see what his market value is, but it's clear that he worked well in the Falcons' defense.

Eric Stokes
Age: 25
2024 team: Green Bay Packers
2024 stats: 7 starts, 17 appearances | 41 tackles, 29 solo
The interest: A former first-round pick out of the University of Georgia for the Packers in 2021, Stokes was plagued by injuries during his second and third seasons and never found his strid. Playing in all 17 games last season was important for Stokes, who turns 26 next month. The 6-foot-1, 194-pound corner has great height and length for the position and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.25 seconds at Georgia’s Pro Day. He could be a high-upside gamble, and pairing him with his former coach in Jerry Gray should only help better the odds.

Avonte Maddox
Age: 28
2024 team: Philadelphia Eagles
2024 stats: 3 starts, 17 appearances | 20 tackles, 9 solo | 5 pass defenses, 0 interceptions
The interest: Because Dee Alford is a restricted free agent, the Falcons could easily decide to bring him back on what would likely be an affordable deal. He was up and down in 2024 after a strong 2023 season, but Atlanta can't spend everywhere. If it does choose to bring in another slot corner, Maddox is an interesting option. He was a mainstay for Philly's defense up until the previous two seasons. While an injury cut his 2023 campaign short, Maddox was replaced by rookie Cooper DeJean last season. His time with the Eagles might be over, but Maddox's experience would be valuable. He's logged over 3,600 snaps in his career and was just part of an elite defense led by Vic Fangio. That experience would port nicely over to Atlanta, and he could be a short-term rental.