The Atlanta Falcons have traded safety Jessie Bates III to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick, according to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Bates signed a four-year deal with the Falcons as a free agent in 2023 and he lived up to his contract as maybe the best playmaking safety in all of football. In his four seasons with Atlanta, Bates recorded 392 tackles (243 solo) and 14 interceptions over 60 games.
The Falcons lost to the Cincinnati Bengals to fall to 3-6 on Sunday, and with Bates entering the final year of his contract, it made sense that the team would look to get something for him rather than let him walk in free agency.
Bates fittingly led the team with 14 tackles (11 solo) in Sunday's
34-17 loss to the Bengals.
Trade: Falcons are sending former Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a 2027 2nd-round pick and a 2028 5th-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/zsvYXRXj0P
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 9, 2026
The Pro Bowl safety has been a turnover machine throughout his NFL career, racking up 28 interceptions and 14 forced fumbles over 139 career games. Bates now joins a first-place Jaguars team that's looking for a little secondary help to make a deep playoff run.
The 29-year-old deserves to play for a contender after spending four playoff-less seasons in Atlanta. Bates posted a message to fans on social media after the trade.
"ATL forever grateful," wrote Bates.
ATL Forever Grateful! 🖤 #JustBelieve
— Jessie Bates III (@jlbiii3) November 9, 2026
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons trade safety Jessie Bates to Jaguars for multiple draft picks
