Jaguars sign veteran safety in deal with Falcons
Atlanta sends Jessie Bates III to Jacksonville for two future draft picks as the Falcons aim to rebuild their defense.
By John Ferrari ·
The Jacksonville Jaguars acquired safety Jessie Bates III from the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. The trade was confirmed on Monday, just before the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday.
Bates, 29, had been rumored as a trade candidate for several days. He announced the move himself on social media before the official announcement, writing on his X account, “WOKE UP A JAGUAR!” He added, “ATL Forever Grateful!”
The move comes after a difficult stretch for the Falcons. The team is 3-6 and has lost four of its last five games under first-year coach Kevin Stefanski. Bates played in the Falcons’ 34-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in Madrid, recording a career-high 14 tackles. His four-year contract expires after this season, which influenced the decision to trade him.
Stefanski said the trade does not mean the team is giving up on the 2026 campaign. He noted that every team in the NFC South has only three wins. “I think our fans are smart enough to know that in no way, shape or form would we punt on this season,” Stefanski said. “We have three wins just like the rest of our division. Obviously not where we want to be. We want to play better but we’re very much in the thick of this thing and we trust in the guys that we have.”
The Falcons will look to DeMarcco Hellams as the next safety option. Stefanski described the decision to move Bates as a balance between short-term and long-term goals. “This is football where sometimes you have one foot in the short term one foot in the long term and there’s things like this that you know make your team better in the long term,” he said.
For the Jaguars, the addition strengthens a team that is 6-2 and competing for the top playoff spot in the AFC. The Jaguars have won five of their last six games, including a 33-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. They also acquired defensive tackle Davon Godchaux from the New Orleans Saints in a separate deal for a 2028 sixth-round pick. These moves help fill gaps left by DaVon Hamilton and Eric Murray, who were placed on injured reserve on Tuesday.
Tennessee Titans coach Robert Saleh acknowledged the challenge of facing the strengthened Jaguars. “What they’ve done is added an All-Pro player to an already championship caliber football team,” Saleh said. “Last week I made the comment that Cincinnati was the best team we’ve played all year? Well, Jacksonville’s one-upping it. This team has done a great job developing the players on that roster.”
