The Atlanta Falcons are making a veteran addition to the secondary right before the start of training camp. Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported they have agreed to terms with former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Darqueze Dennard. The former first-round pick has had a wild offseason, as he had actually agreed to terms with another NFL team before the deal fell apart.
Back in March, Dennard and the Jacksonville Jaguars reportedly agreed on a three-year, $13.5 million contract that would pay him $6 million guaranteed. He was poised to fill the outside corner spot left open by AJ Bouye, but the two sides could not come to an agreement on the final terms of the contract. Dennard, who is 28, has spent his entire career with the Bengals prior to hitting free agency this offseason. The former No. 24 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft started the 2019 season on the PUP list, but did return to play in nine games for Cincinnati and totaled 37 tackles and five passes defended.
According to Pro Football Focus, Dennard was the 22nd highest-graded corner in the league in 2019.
Dennard is a Georgia native, as he attended Twiggs County High School in Jeffersonville where he was a multi-sport athlete. He accepted a scholarship to Michigan State University, where he won two Big Ten Championships in 2010 and 2013. What was even more impressive, however, is that he was awarded the Jim Thorpe Award in 2013 for being the best defensive back in college football.
In 77 career NFL games, Dennard has recorded 274 combined tackles, 22 passes defensed and three interceptions. The Falcons have clearly been focused on adding new talent to their secondary this offseason after releasing former first-round pick Desmond Trufant back in March. Atlanta also drafted former Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and he, like Dennard, has a good chance to start and make an immediate impact on this defense.
