The Atlanta Falcons kicked off NFL trade deadline week by shipping off their Pro Bowl safety on Monday, and they ended it by trading away their starting center just before the clock struck 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The team got worse in the short term, but these moves could pay off down the line.
In today's Falcons Wire Recap, ESPN grades the Jessie Bates and Ryan Neuzil trades, Kirk Cousins gets dealt to the 6-2 Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta makes a change at kicker, and we break down the team's latest roster and lineup changes.
Trade deadline recap: Falcons trade 2 starters away
The Falcons completed two trades before Tuesday's NFL deadline. First, the team sent safety Jessie Bates III to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a second-round pick in 2027 and a fifth-round pick in 2028. Then the Falcons traded
starting center Ryan Neuzil to the Baltimore Ravens for guard Andrew Vorhees and a sixth-round pick in 2028.
- Falcons trade Jessie Bates to Jaguars: Atlanta receives 2nd-round pick (2027), 5th-round pick (2028)
- Falcons trade Ryan Neuzil to Ravens: Atlanta receives 6th-round pick (2028), G Andrew Vorhees
Falcons sign new kicker, make changes practice squad
The Falcons kicked off Tuesday not with a trade, but by signing kicker Jake Moody off of the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad. In a corresponding move, the team released veteran kicker Nick Folk. For the season, Folk has made just 13 of 18 field-goal attempts while going 17/18 on extra-point attempts in nine games. These struggles were somewhat surprising since Folk missed just one kick for the New York Jets all of last season (28/29 attempts).
Moody, a former third-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers, has bounced around over his first four NFL seasons. For his career, he has made 65 out of 83 field goals (78.3 percent). Moody appeared in one game for the Ravens this season, making his lone field goal attempt from 53 yards.
The team also released defensive end Drake Jackson from the practice squad on Tuesday afternoon. With another spot already available, the Falcons were able to sign center Gus Hartwig and safety Delarrin Turner-Yell to the practice squad.
ESPN grades Ryan Neuzil trade: Falcons get C-, Ravens get B+
After praising the Falcons for getting value in the Jessie Bates deal, those around the NFL weren't as impressed by the Neuzil trade. The fact that Atlanta received such a modest return for its starting center, while being just a half-game back in the NFC South race earned the team a "C-" grade from ESPN. Meanwhile, the Ravens got a much-better B+ grade for the trade.
"I don't mind that for Baltimore, especially since the Jurgens deal already is looking like a mistake. But it's a tougher sell for the Falcons. I would much rather try to re-sign Neuzil to a long-term deal (perhaps they did). If they were going to trade Neuzil, was this really the best they could get? And while the Falcons are hardly contenders, this certainly won't help quarterback Michael Penix Jr. down the stretch. Backup Corey Levin will presumably start going forward. Vorhees figures to be a depth guard for the Falcons like he was for the Ravens." - Seth Walder & Ben Solak, ESPN
NFL.com gives Falcons an A- grade for Jessie Bates trade
While losing their best defensive player makes this a worse team for now - it's impossible to argue with getting a second and a fifth in return given their current situation - which is last place in the worst division in football. Over at NFL.com, Kevin Patra has given the Falcons an A- for the trade and commends them for seeing the truth of where they stand.
"I’m crediting the Falcons for seeing the truth. Just because they’re a half-game back from the top of the division in a grotesque NFC South, they’re still in last place. Even a run to the postseason doesn’t make them championship contenders. That’s just a recipe for a later-draft pick. I’m not suggesting the Falcons should go into full-on tank mode, but it’s a good sign that the current front office understands that getting a second-round pick and a fifth-rounder in 2028 for a free-agent safety who turns 30 in February is excellent business."
Kirk Cousins traded to Vikings, will face Falcons in Week 12
The Minnesota Vikings were desperate for a quarterback and finally agreed to send a third-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for Cousins just 90 minutes before the deadline.Even at 6-2, the Vikings offense has failed to find its footing all season long. With Kyler Murray injured and Carson Wentz struggling, Minnesota opted to bring back Cousins, who played for the Vikings for six seasons (2018-2023).
The veteran QB previously played some of his best football under Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell. Cousins has played surprisingly well this season, passing for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions for a passer rating of 97.1. The Falcons will face Cousins and the Vikings on the road in Week 12.
Falcons starting lineup changes: Atlanta has 3 new starters
Replacing Jessie Bates won't be quite as easy. Atlanta has numerous players capable of stepping in at safety, including defensive backs Billy Bowman and Sydney Brown, but DeMarcco Hellams will get the first crack at starting next to Xavier Watts.
Then at center, the team simply doesn't have many options. The Falcons will likely go with veteran Corey Levin, but he has mostly served as a backup throughout his career. We'll see how he fares in a starting role against a dominant Chiefs defensive front in Week 10.
The last change to the starting lineup was the addition of Jake Moody in place of veteran Nick Folk. Check out the three changes below.
- C Corey Levin: Replaces Ryan Neuzil (trade)
- S Demarco Hellams: Replaces Jessie Bates (trade)
- K Jake Moody: Replaces Nick Folk (released)
Watch these three make their first starts of the season this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons Recap: Trades, grades and lineup changes in Atlanta
