While the majority of the movement we're going to see during what's been a wild NFL offseason has already taken place, there are still some players out there who could find themselves on a new team before the 2026 campaign gets underway. And we're not talking about those currently still sitting on the open market in free agency. No, we're talking about those currently on rosters who could either be traded or outright released once June 1 rolls around.
One such player could be veteran cornerback Mike Hughes, whose status with the Atlanta Falcons came under question the moment the team surprisingly selected Clemson's Aveion Terrell in the second round of last month's draft at No. 48 overall.
In a recent article, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report circled Hughes as the Falcons' best player who could get the axe this offseason. It will require patience, but the Dallas Cowboys could land Hughes by the end of summer if Christian Parker feels he needs another cornerback.
The Dallas Cowboys could sign Mike Hughes if the Falcons release him
Adding Hughes, who was taken in the opening round of the 2018 draft by the Minnesota Vikings at No. 30 overall, would bring some veteran depth to the Cowboys' cornerback room, which is never a bad thing.
Odds are Hughes wouldn't be ahead of Cobie Durant on the depth chart. Shavon Revel, though? Maybe, but we really don't know what he can be after he missed a big chunk of his rookie year, as the 2025 third-rounder continued to rehab the torn ACL he suffered in his final year at East Carolina.
Now, does Hughes have more experience than Durant? Yes. But it's not as if Durant is coming in as some unestablished rookie trying to prove himself, as the four-year veteran started 39 regular-season games for the Los Angeles Rams, 29 of which came in the last two years alone.
He's also appeared in six playoff games and started all three such games for LA this past season, racking up three interceptions, the most by any player in the league during the postseason from an overall standpoint.
And speaking of interceptions, Hughes, whose only playoff experience was three games during his lone season with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021, by the way, has just four interceptions for his entire career, while Durant has tallied 11.
Furthermore, for those who like to look at PFF grades, Hughes' 58.6 overall mark last season ranked 72nd among 114 qualifying cornerbacks, while Durant's 66.7 grade ranked 39th.
Now, we're not saying that bringing Hughes to America's Team is a bad idea because it's not. But Jerry Jones should wait for his potential release rather than jump the gun and trade for him, like he did with Rashan Gary earlier this offseason.
For starters, there's the fact that Hughes has two years remaining on his contract and would cost the Cowboys $14.13 million in salary cap space over that stretch, according to Over The Cap.
If the Falcons cut him, Dallas could conceivably swoop in and sign him to a cheaper one-year deal. If that scenario comes into play, perhaps Hughes is in play. But if not, the Cowboys can probably pass.
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