Falcons defensive back**Billy Bowman Jr.**showed a fair amount of promise during his rookie year in 2025. Earning a notable role in training camp, he enjoyed an 80% snap share and picked up an interception, 1.5 sacks, and 26 total tackles while limiting opposing passers to a 76.0 quarterback rating. Unfortunately, due to a hamstring injury and Achilles tear, he was limited to just six games.
The Achilles ailment is what brought a premature end to his season, and it sounds as if its impact will bleed over into the 2026 campaign. Before mandatory minicamp got underway last week, The Athletic’s Josh Kendall (subscription required) expressed doubt about Bowman’s chances of winning back his job as Atlanta’s starting nickel this year. After minicamp wrapped, Daniel Flick of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution predicted the Falcons would place Bowman on the PUP list at the end of training camp this summer.
That would make last year’s fourth-rounder ineligible to play in the first four games of the upcoming season. While Kendall remains optimistic about Bowman’s long-term outlook, Flick says the slot man worked off to the side during OTAs and minicamp and has not even returned to individual drills, let alone full-team activities. Kendall expects Bowman to get back on the field during training camp, but even if he is able to avoid a PUP list placement, he may not see as much action as he did as a rookie.
Many expect 2026 second-rounder**Avieon Terrell** to get most of his NFL work in the slot, which would make him a natural candidate to take on at least a portion of Bowman’s snaps. Defensive coordinatorJeff Ulbrich has said Terrell can play in the slot or on the boundary, but Kendall noticed free agent pickup**Darnay Holmes** – who has primarily functioned as a nickel back in his career – was on the field a great deal during OTAs.
It would be somewhat surprising to see a player like Holmes, who is earning the veteran minimum, fend off a player with Terrell’s draft status for too long, unless Terrell is simply not suited to the slot or does not adapt quickly to the pro game. Based on his conversations with secondary coachJustin Hood and his own observations, Flick believes**Mike Hughes** will operate as the Falcons’ primary outside CB opposite stalwartAJ Terrell (Avieon’s older brother), while trade acquisition**Sydney Brown** will get the lion’s share of snaps at the nickel, at least in the near-term. Because Brown can line up at safety as well, he could see a fair amount of playing time in the last year of his rookie pact.
In other Falcons news, Kendall says**Christian Harris** will likely work asDivine Diablo’s primary running mate at inside linebacker by default. Harris played in 15 games but just 92 defensive snaps in 2025, his last season as a member of the Texans, after serving as a primary starter in each of his first three pro seasons. He signed a modest one-year, $2.75MM contract with Atlanta in March, but he could have a real chance to rebuild his stock in ‘26.
Per Kendall, fourth-round rookie**Kendal Daniels** and veterans**Troy Andersen** and**JD Bertrand** missed OTAs due to injury. Kendall is skeptical Andersen, whose last game action came in Week 14 of the 2024 season thanks to a lingering knee injury, will ever have a meaningful role again.