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Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff Writer
A week after acquiring two Pro Bowl newcomers, the Atlanta Falcons have reached a deal with one of their longtime top players, signing cornerback A.J. Terrell to a four-year, $81 million contract, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday.
The deal includes $65.8 million in effectively full guarantees, sources said, which represents the largest guarantee ever given to a cornerback on a four-year agreement. The contract was negotiated by Terrell’s agents David Mulugheta and Trevon Smith of Athletes First.
Terrell is now the second-highest-paid cornerback on a per-year basis at $20.25 million. That trails only the Green Bay Packers‘ Jaire Alexander, who makes $21 million per year.
At the start of training camp last month, Terrell had acknowledged the talks on a new deal but said he was “so focused on just being with the team.”
“So it’s easy for me to just come out, come to work and not think about it and know that it’s in good hands,” he said.
Terrell, 25, was a second-team All-Pro in 2021 and has been regarded as an upper-echelon cornerback. The Falcons drafted him with the 16th overall pick in the 2020 draft, and he is set to make $12.344 million this season on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal.
In 2021, Terrell had three interceptions and 16 passes defensed (sixth in the NFL). He has not had an interception since then but has 36 pass breakups over his four NFL seasons.
Last week, the Falcons signed free agent safety Justin Simmons to a one-year, $8 million contract, adding the two-time Pro Bowler to a secondary that includes Terrell and Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates III. Atlanta also added four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Matthew Judon via trade from the New England Patriots in exchange for a third-round pick.