The Atlanta Falcons didn't exactly throw in the towel at the NFL trade deadline. However, sending away star safety Jessie Bates III and starting center Ryan Neuzil was an admission that they're closer to being a pretender than a true contender.
Bates was not only Atlanta's best defensive player - he was a well-respected veteran presence for a locker room that has a relatively young core of players. His presence will be missed in more ways than one.
Starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. had high praise Bates after this week's big trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"That's my guy, just so much love and respect for him," Penix said of Bates. "You know, not just as a player but as a person as well. The way he goes about life, he does everything
the right way. That's something that you don't forget, you know, the way that people treat you and he always treated me with respect. He always spoke highly of me. He always encouraged me and kept me motivated. So I just wish him the best in his future in Jacksonville."
Michael Penix Jr. on his former lockermate Jessie Bates who got traded to the Jaguars
— Not Bijan (@InBijanWeTrust) November 11, 2026
“He means a lot that’s my guy, so much love and respect for him… he always spoke highly of me, he always encouraged me, and kept me motivated I just wish him the best” pic.twitter.com/8CjmNb7zuj
The Falcons' defense will be demonstrably worse without Bates, but they did get a second and a fifth-round draft pick out of the deal, which is hard to argue with given Bates' age and contract situation.
Atlanta also got a conditional sixth-round pick from Baltimore in the Neuzil trade.
It's tough to swallow right now, but that draft capital will (theoretically) make them more competitive in the long run.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: What Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. said about the Jessie Bates trade
