Jaguars Land All-Pro Safety Jessie Bates III in Trade With Falcons Before Deadline

With the NFL trade deadline set for Tuesday, deals are beginning to take shape around the league now that Week 9 is nearly complete. The Jacksonville Jaguars have made one of the biggest moves, acquiring All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III from the Atlanta Falcons, according to ESPN.

In exchange for Bates, Atlanta will receive a 2027 second-round draft pick and a 2028 fifth-round selection. The veteran safety now heads to Duval County as Jacksonville looks to strengthen its roster for a playoff run.

Bates, 29, is playing out the final year of his contract and is scheduled to become a free agent once the season ends. That makes the acquisition something of a rental for the Jaguars, but one that could pay immediate dividends for a team that has opened the regular season 6-2.

Through nine games with the Falcons this season, Bates has produced one interception, three forced fumbles and 60 total tackles. In coverage, he has allowed a 78.3% completion percentage and a 115.2 passer rating, per TruMedia.

Bates entered the league as a second-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2018 out of Wake Forest. He spent the first five seasons of his career in Cincinnati before signing a four-year, $64.02 million deal with Atlanta in the spring of 2023, and he had been a fixture in the Falcons' secondary since.

Since arriving in the NFL, Bates has been one of the most productive ballhawks in the game. He is tied for the second-most interceptions in the league with 28 over that span and has earned second-team All-Pro honors three times, most recently in 2025.

For Atlanta, the move reflects a shift in priorities. The Falcons spent last offseason locking up several cornerstone veterans with contract extensions, a group that included Bijan Robinson and Drake London. Bates was not among those rewarded with a new deal.

The Falcons' decision to part with the talented safety comes after they fell to 3-6 on Sunday with a loss to the Bengals in Madrid. Rather than risk losing Bates for nothing in free agency, Atlanta opted to move him now in exchange for future draft capital.

Jacksonville, meanwhile, adds an experienced playmaker to the back end of its defense at a pivotal point in the season. With Bates patrolling the secondary, the Jaguars hope to solidify their standing as a serious postseason contender down the stretch.