Atlanta Falcons, Jessie Bates III
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Atlanta Falcons Safety, Jessie Bates III.
Though NFL free agency got off to its usual hot start during the first week, that doesn’t mean teams are done making moves, though. That includes the Atlanta Falcons.
Atlanta has been filling in necessary holes through free agency thus far, and doing so at a fairly cheap price tag. New Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham is being strategic with each new acquisition, like the addition of former Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
While that move wasn’t too surprising considering Michael Penix Jr. could still be out of action to begin the 2026 season, this new front office could still have more moves to make leading up to the draft and beyond.
With just five picks in this year’s draft, Atlanta will be on the hunt for more capital if it can find it. Something else the Falcons may look to do is increase their cap space, which currently ranks 19th in the NFL at $18.5 million available, according to Spotrac.
One way of doing that would be trading veteran safety Jessie Bates III.
Falcons Could Explore Trading Jessie Bates III Amid Cap Considerations
Nothing has become official from the Falcons’ side, but there has been growing chatter that the team, now under a new regime, could attempt to move on from Bates if the right opportunity presents itself.
Bates is entering the final year of his four-year, $64 million deal he signed with Atlanta in 2023 after departing the Cincinnati Bengals. He is set to earn a base salary of $13 million with a cap hit of $24.7 million.
FanSided’s Wyston Wilcox listed Bates as one of the most expensive trade assets in the NFL, but suggested a potential landing spot if Atlanta chooses to move him — the Minnesota Vikings.
“The good thing about Minnesota is that they have Kyler Murray on a veteran minimum contract, which gives them more cap space to work with,” Wilcox wrote. “One position they could use an upgrade in is the secondary.”
The Vikings’ current cap situation could complicate things, however, as they rank 29th in the league with just $6.8 million in available space.
“Now Bates is expensive, but he’d be worth it, considering the Vikings feel they’re a quarterback away from being Super Bowl contenders. Bates hasn’t quite lived up to the hype after getting spurned by the Cincinnati Bengals. It turned out to be a wise move by Cincinnati, as he hasn’t really been that impactful in Atlanta,” Wilcox added.
“Because of how much his cap hit is this year, I doubt he’d yield a significant return, which would allow the Vikings to also draft his replacement or have a lethal safety duo. It’s a gamble, but it’s worth it. It’s a win-win as the Vikings get immediate safety help and Bates lands with a team that should be more of a contender than the Falcons are.”
Jessie Bates III Production Shows Mixed Results With Falcons
Bates’ time in Atlanta hasn’t entirely played out the way Wilcox described, though there have been some inconsistencies from the 29-year-old.
In his first season with the Falcons, Bates earned Pro Bowl honors after recording a career-high six interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. Over the last three seasons, he has totaled 13 interceptions, eight forced fumbles, 27 pass deflections and allowed a passer rating of 74.0.
That said, his most recent performance showed some decline. Bates posted a career-low coverage grade of 59.6, according to Pro Football Focus, while his overall grade of 64.5 ranked 47th among 98 qualified safeties.
If the Falcons and Vikings were to work out a deal, Atlanta could potentially save $13 million in cap space this season, though it would also take on a $11.75 million dead cap hit.