The Atlanta Falcons spent a lot of the 2022 season looking for a substitute for an injured Casey Hayward, an enormous drawback they have been by no means completely capable of resolve. Darren Corridor and Rashad Fenton have been among the many candidates the crew tried out and ultimately solid apart, but it surely was Cornell Armstrong who ended up beginning down the stretch.
Armstrong was on his third crew when he landed with the Falcons in December 2021 as a member of the apply squad, exhibiting sufficient to earn a reserve/future deal in January 2022 and making it throughout to late August in Atlanta, when he was positioned on injured reserve. After his launch on August 24, it was not clear if he’d return to the Falcons, however he did in October and wound up enjoying a major function in a brutal loss to the Cincinnati Bengals the place the Falcons have been diced by way of the air by Joe Burrow.
That may’ve been it for Armstrong, on condition that he was being thrown into an inconceivable state of affairs and received lit up, had the Falcons had extra choices. As a substitute, Armstrong caught and wound up enjoying the vast majority of snaps in 5 extra video games for Atlanta the remainder of the best way, turning into the crew’s most popular choice reverse A.J. Terrell down the stretch. Clearly the Falcons noticed one thing they preferred over these begins, as they’ve re-signed the 27-year-old cornerback, per his agent Brett Tessler.
My consumer Cornell Armstrong has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Atlanta Falcons. sixth 12 months nook began 4 video games for them final season and had a number of presents elsewhere.
— Brett Tessler (@TesslerSports) March 18, 2023
Armstrong’s efficiency final 12 months doesn’t recommend he needs to be competing to begin for Atlanta in 2023, however that together with the religion the crew confirmed in him definitely does recommend he’ll be a favourite for one of many crew’s reserve roles if he can impress new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. That is an especially unsettled depth chart past A.J. Terrell and Hayward (if he sticks on the roster), and a participant the Falcons relied on in robust circumstances late within the 12 months who offered stable run protection and a few high quality stretches in protection ought to have an early leg up on a spot.
The Falcons want one other high-end starter at cornerback fairly badly, however they gained’t lack for competitors for these reserve roles, as they at the moment have 10 corners beneath contract heading into subsequent season. Armstrong joins a bunch highlighted by former draft choose Darren Corridor, CFL import and spectacular reserve Dee Alford, and up to date CFL import Jamal Peters. The crew will virtually definitely maintain including to the place group, however as of in the present day Armstrong, Alford, and Corridor would appear to be in line for spots.
Give Armstrong a heat welcome again, and we’ll see if he can as soon as once more battle his method on to the Falcons roster in 2023.