Sports

Why former Raiders/Giants DB believes he’s poised for bigger role with Falcons

Atlanta Falcons On SI · Jul 21, 2026 11:49 · 3 min read

Why Former Raiders/Giants DB Believes He’s Poised for Bigger Role With Falcons — Darnay Holmes was a fourth-round pick of the Giants before spending the last two seasons with the Raiders. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Atlanta Falcons signed veteran defensive back Darnay Holmes to add depth to the secondary, and he has even bigger plans.

Darnay Holmes wants to be a key contributor to the Atlanta Falcons defense.

And the newly signed defensive back isn’t shy about it.

He requested to appear on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, and was a guest on its July 1 episode, joining Manti Te’o, Jahleel Addae, Mitch Morse, and Lawrence Guy in Los Angeles.

Holmes discussed his transition to Atlanta, where he signed a one-year, $1.215 million deal in March after spending the last two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders.

“I feel like this year is a bigger role,” Holmes said on the GMFB broadcast.

“In some programs, you’re the guy who receives things. In this program, you’ve got to be the one who’s talking out and calling things before it happens. So, I’m taking more of a safety approach in this nickel position. Doing that makes me elevate. I got to know more of the system – why things are coming, why they’re attacking us on these down and distances. It’s a role that you’ve got to love.

"And I’m definitely loving it, for sure.”

The 2026 season will be Holmes’ seventh year in the NFL. The 28-year-old entered the league out of UCLA as a fourth-round draft pick in 2020 with the New York Giants, where he spent four seasons.

The 5-foot-10, 198-pounder’s primary responsibility for the Falcons defense will be manning the nickel position. That means sometimes, he will be matched up with speedy slot receivers or be in the box serving as a reliable tackler looking to stop run plays for short yardage.

So an equal focus on conditioning and strength training is imperative for the veteran looking to catch on with a team. Holmes told the GMFB panel that his body felt at its best during the Falcons’ summertime organized team activities.

“Being a nickel, you’re a linebacker, you’re a corner,” Holmes said. “Weight room program’s been going well. I’m excited for what Atlanta has in store and what we have in store for Atlanta as well.”

As the Pasadena native looks to catch on with the Falcons, he holds career stats of 164 tackles, five tackles for loss, four interceptions, 21 pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. Holmes has played 83 NFL games and started in 12.

He joins a Falcons secondary led by All-Pro selections cornerback AJ Terrell and safety Jessie Bates III. He will wear No. 30, which he says is a slight nod to Bates, who wore the number for the Cincinnati Bengals before coming to Atlanta in 2023.

“He’s a guy who loves the game, whom you can lean upon, and demonstrates the game,” Holmes said of Bates. “He doesn’t talk much, but you can see through his flow of life, his regimen – you can use that as well, utilize it.”

Holmes joins the Falcons in an exciting time for the franchise. Atlanta is under a new head coach, Kevin Stefanski, and is one of the NFL’s most talented teams on paper.

The Falcons will look to break their current eight-year playoff drought, not qualifying for postseason play since 2017.

“Atlanta is amazing. A lot of empowerment for the culture,” Holmes said. "It’s an exciting time for the sports world and Atlanta itself. It’s a lot of staples out there.”

Rookies report on Friday, and Atlanta will have its first full preseason training camp practice in Flowery Branch on Wednesday, July 29th.

Preseason starts with a home game against the Denver Broncos on Aug. 14, and the regular season opens at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 13.

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