Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III will probably go down as one of the best free agent acquisitions in Falcons history.
His leadership on the field cannot be denied. Atlanta signed the Pro Bowl safety in 2023 and has made a name for himself as one of the best safeties in the league.
“A key objective when navigating the NFL’s open market is to pay for future production rather than past performance, and the Falcons have gotten the premier version of Bates since he joined in 2023,” Will McFadden wrote in an Atlanta Falcons article. “With 13 interceptions and 8 forced fumbles for the Falcons, not to mention 332 tackles, this has been the most productive three-year stretch of his career. Entering his ninth season, the veteran safety is once again considered among the best players at his position.”
Jessie Bates Ranked as Fifth Best Safety By ESPN
Jessie Bates has recorded 27 interceptions in his career. Bates was ranked as the 5th best safety in the league according to executives, scouts, and coaches.
“Bates is always a threat to flip the momentum of a game with one play. He’s one of the game’s great ball hawks, registering 27 interceptions in eight seasons,” Jeremy Fowler wrote in the ESPN article. “Thirteen of those picks have come in his three seasons in Atlanta, and in each of those seasons, he has returned one for a touchdown. He has a flair for yardage after the pick, with 384 return yards for an average of 14.2 yards per interception.”
Jessie Bates adds a layer to the Atlanta Falcons defense. He has the second-most interceptions since entering the league in 2018. He was ranked as the fourth-best safety last year, but still has some gas left in the tank.
“Since he joined Atlanta, Bates is the only player in the NFL with at least 10 interceptions and three-plus forced fumbles,” McFadden wrote. “He has a proven knack for making big plays, but that is only part of what makes the three-time All-Pro a true gamechanger.”
Jessie Bates Praised For His Ball Skills
The safeties who ranked above Bates include Brian Branch, Xavier McKinney, Derwin James Jr., and Kyle Hamilton. Bates’ rankings seems just right considering his consistency over the years. He is showing no signs of slowing down.
“Instincts and ball skills have allowed him to play at a high level for a long time,” an NFL coordinator said in the ESPN article. “That’s why his game is aging well. He’s just got a knack for being around the ball.”
“As a safety nowadays, you’ve got to be able to play everything,” Bates said in the Atlanta Falcons article. “I remember when I first got in the league, which is nine years ago now, there was a box safety — a strong safety — and then there was a free safety — a post safety. Where I lived in that world, 20 yards deep, line up, and just backpedal or read the quarterback. Now, it’s line up in a two-shell. Whether you’re in the boundary, whether you’re to the field, you’ve got to be able to weave to the middle of the field, not just line up in the middle of the field.
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