Matt Johnson
The Atlanta Falcons plan to release star cornerback Desmond Trufant, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, moving on from its top cornerback after seven seasons.
The Falcons tried exploring a trade for the Pro Bowl cornerback, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, but decided to release the 29-year-old cornerback when it was unable to find a trade partner for him. Releasing Trufant creates more than $4 million in cap space for Atlanta.
A first-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Trufant quickly emerged as a starting cornerback in Atlanta’s secondary as a rookie. He recorded 17 pass deflections and two interceptions as a rookie in 2013. In his second season, Trufant became the team’s No. 1 cornerback and recorded three interceptions and 16 pass deflections. He earned his lone Pro Bowl selection in 2015.
The 29-year-old’s play took a step back in recent years and given the Falcons tight cap situation, they decided to move on from Trufant. He also missed seven games this season due to a variety of injuries, including a broken forearm.
Given Trufant’s experience matching up with No. 1 receivers and that he’s only entering his age-30 season in 2020, he will likely draw plenty of interest as a free agent.
