NFC Notes: A.J. Terrell, Bryce Young, Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Falcons

Falcons CB A.J. Terrell signed a four-year extension that will keep him with his hometown team through the 2028 season and also made him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the history of the NFL.

“Football is my job. I never really paid attention to (the contract discussions). I let my agent do that. That’s his job,” Terrell said, via the team website. “Me, just coming in, doing something I love with the team I love, for the city, it wasn’t hard for me coming in. I was sleeping peaceful at night. I wasn’t ever thinking about, ‘What if?’ … As long as I am going out there and handling my business in practice, leading by example and making my presence felt, it’ll all take care of itself.”

“Growing up here and being able to stay home for your NFL career, a lot of people don’t get this opportunity, being able to play at home, make a statement and be loved by the fans. I don’t take none of it for granted,” Terrell added. “When I go out there and play it’s always for my family, the city and the team. We got everything we need to be successful,” Terrell concluded. “It’s on us to just go get the job done.”

Falcons HC Raheem Morris shared some insight on the extension process, as well as his excitement for the young cornerback.

“I don’t think anybody knew he was up (for an extension), and that was the most beautiful thing about the whole process,” Morris explained. “We’re talking behind the scenes, working on a contract. You have his agent talking to Terry (Fontenot, general manager). We got our money people talking with Terry, talking with his agent. All of this stuff is going on, and all A.J. did was just show up to work, play the corner position, lead the defensive backs, give us great energy in practice, tackle, knock down passes, get better, go to work and just play…When a young man tells you that it’s one of the best days of his life that’s absolutely outstanding. When we drafted him back then you knew what kind of man he was. You knew the resolve he had. You knew he had a fight to him, a certain toughness and he’s done nothing but show us that since he’s been here.”

• The Falcons’ extension with Terrell carries a total value of $93.353 million and includes a $25 million signing bonus.
• The deal has $65.844 million in total guarantees, $42.344 million fully guaranteed, and salaries of $3.344 million, $14 million, $15 million, $17 million, and $18 million. It has cap figures of $8.353 million for 2024, $19 million for 2025, $20 million for 2026, $22 million for 2027, and $24 million for 2028. (Aaron Wilson)

Panthers

Panthers HC Dave Canales had high praise for QB Bryce Young following his performance in the team’s final preseason game.

“Hell of a day,” Canales said, via David Newton of ESPN.com. “Couldn’t have dreamt it better. A fourth-down conversion in there, but saw him extend plays with his legs, keeping his eyes down the field, finding guys.”

“It felt great for all of us to go out and play against a different team,’’ Young noted. “We got a couple of different situations we got to have, which was great for us.’’

Saints

Saints HC Dennis Allen said the team considered playing versatile weapon Taysom Hill at linebacker early on in his career.

“Early on we kind of thought about making him a sam linebacker. I’m not kidding,” Allen said, via PFT. “The head coach at the time wasn’t giving up anything. Now we’ve got him doing so many things now, fullback, runner, there’s only so many places a guy can play.”