The trade that sent cornerback Jeff Okudah from the Lions to the Falcons means that Atlanta now have two cornerbacks from the first round of the 2020 draft, in Okudah and A.J. Terrell.
It also means that the Falcons have until early May to pick up the fifth-year option for both of them.
The Falcons undoubtedly will pick up the option on Terrell, unless he’s signed to a new contract before the deadline. Okudah likely won’t have the option exercised.
The mere fact that Okudah could be had for a fifth-round pick shows he’s not fifth-year option material. If he plays really well this year and leaves via free agency, his departure would factor into potential compensatory draft picks for 2025.
For the Lions, Okudah was the last first-round link to the Bob Quinn/Matt Patricia regime. And while Okudah started 15 games last season, injuries in 2020 and 2021 kept his career from getting off the ground.
