Sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday that the Atlanta Falcons have reached a deal with cornerback A.J. Terrell, signing the veteran to a four-year, $81 million contract. Terrell, the 16th overall pick in the 2020 draft, was entering the final year of his rookie deal and was set to make $12.3 million in 2024 on his fifth-year option. His new deal keeps him in Atlanta through the 2028 season.

The deal, negotiated by Terrell’s agents David Mulugheta and Trevon Smith of Athletes First, includes $65.8 million in effectively full guarantees – the largest a cornerback has ever received on a four-year deal. Terrell is now the second-highest-paid cornerback on a per-year basis at $20.25 million, trailing only the Green Bay Packers’ Jaire Alexander, who makes $21 million per year.

Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said in a statement: “We are very glad to be in the position to provide this extension for A.J., who is certainly well deserving of it. A homegrown player, he embodies the characteristics and traits we want as a Falcon. He leads by example with his work ethic, and as a great teammate he does anything he can to help this team win on a continuous basis. We appreciate the support of our owner, Arthur Blank, for providing the resources to reward players who operate the right way.”

Terrell started all 17 games last season and totaled 45 tackles, 11 pass breakups and four tackles for loss. He earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2021 when he recorded career highs of 81 total tackles, 16 pass breakups and three interceptions.

The Falcons will host the Jacksonville Jaguars in their final preseason game at 7 p.m. EDT Friday in Atlanta. They will host the Pittsburgh Steelers in their regular-season opener on Sept. 8 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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