FLOWERY BRANCH — The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to terms with cornerback Desmond Trufant on a five-year contract extension.
“We are really happy to be able to get this extension done,” said general manager Thomas Dimitroff. “Trufant has proven to be a valuable leader to our team, and embodies every trait that Coach Quinn and I are looking for from players that are a part of our brotherhood. Trufant has improved each year and we believe his best ball is still in front of him. We knew this extension was going to be a component to our offseason plan and I am excited with the way we have been able to execute our entire plan as we have built our roster.”
The extension with Trufant was deemed a priority by Dimitroff and Quinn as soon as the offseason began. The Pro Bowl cornerback has recorded 213 total tackles, three sacks, seven interceptions, four forced fumbles, four fumbles recoveries, and 53 passes defensed in his four-year career.
Last season, Trufant played and started in nine games before being placed on injured reserve with a pectoral injury. The former first round pick from Washington recorded 25 solo tackles, four passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and one interception in 2016.
Trufant is a major component to this team’s defense, and he proved his worth in 2015 when he earned his first Pro Bowl selection after tallying 35 solo tackles, 11 passes defensed, two fumble recoveries and one interception. The Tacoma native also proved that he could be a lockdown corner that season when he was only targeted 56 times, which was the lowest number of targets for a cornerback who played 75-percent of his team’s snaps. During those 56 pass attempts, he only allowed 32 receptions, which was the third lowest total among cornerbacks who played 75-percent of his team’s snaps.
The deal also ensures that he and Robert Alford will continue to play alongside each other for the foreseeable future and add veteran leadership to a young secondary. Alford and Trufant were drafted together in 2013 and have grown into leaders on the defensive side of the ball.
Trufant marks the ninth player the Falcons have either re-signed or extended dating back to last season, including Alford and T Ryan Schraeder.
