Former Vikings CB Gets a Sweet Little Bag
He isn’t half bad, after all.
Former Vikings CB Gets a Sweet Little Bag
Remember Mike Hughes? The Minnesota Vikings’ 1st-Round draft pick in 2018? He’s not out of the league, not by a long shot, and he secured a sweet contract on Tuesday with the Atlanta Falcons, his 2024 employer.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweeted, “Corner Mike Hughes headed back to the Falcons on a three-year, $18M deal, per source. Hughes started 15 games for Atlanta last season.”
Hughes has spent the last two seasons in Atlanta and actually latched on as a full-time starter in 2024 — hence the commendable reunion contract in free agency. He’s on deck to start once again for Michael Penix Jr.’s team.
Here’s Atlanta’s CB room through two days of free agency:
- A.J. Terrell
- Mike Hughes
- Dee Alford
- Clark Phillips III
- Natrone Brooks
- Lamar Jackson
The Falcons’ defense ranked 20th per EPA/Play in 2024.
Since leaving the Vikings, Hughes has a thick resume, spending time with the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and Falcons. Hughes actually played quite well in 2021 with the Chiefs, especially in the regular season, but encountered a regrettable playoff gaffe that soured his reputation in Kansas City.
Accordingly, Hughes ventured to the Vikings’ rival, the Lions, a few months later and remained with Dan Campbell’s upstart program for one season. But amid Detroit’s ferocious and highly-touted 2023 offseason overhaul, Hughes wasn’t a priority to retain.
Here’s Hughes’ Pro Football Focus resume to date:
- 2018 = 65.3
- 2019 = 58.7
- 2020 = 54.4
- 2021 = 79.6
- 2022 = 59.9
- 2023 = 51.8
- 2024 = 71.9
And his passer-rating-against since turning pro:
- 2018 = 104.0
- 2019 = 91.9
- 2020 = 126.3
- 2021 = 100.7
- 2022 = 126.2
- 2023 = 86.3
- 2024 = 105.8
Hughes generated oodles of excitement among Vikings fans in his first career game in 2018 when he ripped off an interception from then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garappolo and scampered for a pick-six. And that was Hughes’ big Vikings moment. He wound up missing 50% of all Vikings games while with the club for three seasons.
The Falcons have also signed linebacker Divine Deablo in open free agency, along with pass rusher Leonard Floyd. They re-signed offensive tackle Jake Matthews and long snapper Liam McCullough.
Atlanta has about $10 million in cap space remaining as of March 11th and probably needs to select an EDGE rusher in the draft.
Former Vikings players Junior Aho (EDGE), Matthew Cindric (G), and Kirk Cousins (QB) also work for the Falcons.
Hughes turned 28 last month.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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