The Atlanta Falcons traded one of their best defensive players Monday, sending safety Jessie Bates III to the Jacksonville Jaguars. For coach Kevin Stefanski, losing Bates was personal, but the decision also came down to the direction of the franchise.
Atlanta received two future draft picks for the three-time All-Pro, a move that raised questions about whether the Falcons are already looking past a season in which they’re 3-6.
Kevin Stefanski Explains Falcons’ Jessie Bates III Trade
“You guys know how I feel about Jessie the person, Jessie the player. But this is football,” Stefanski said, according to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi.
“Sometimes you have one foot in the short term, one foot in the long term,” Stefanski added.
Stefanski acknowledged that parting with Bates hurt on a personal level, according to Falcons reporter Tori McElhaney. But he also pointed to the value of the return, saying “draft picks are the life blood of the organization.”
The Jaguars sent Atlanta a second-round pick in 2027 and a fifth-round selection in 2028. The deal came a day after the Falcons’ 34-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid, their fourth defeat in five games.
Bates had 14 tackles against his former team, his highest total this season. Through nine starts, he has 60 tackles, three forced fumbles, an interception and a fumble return for a touchdown.
Kevin Stefanski Denies Falcons Are Giving Up on Season
Trading a defensive leader while still chasing the NFC South title might look like a move with next season in mind. Stefanski pushed back on that interpretation.
“Our fans are smart enough to know in no way, shape, or form would we punt on this season,” Stefanski said. “We have three wins, just like every other team in our division.”
The Falcons entered this season with a new head coach in Stefanski and a new general manager in Ian Cunningham. Cunningham has repeatedly emphasized the importance of acquiring draft picks, and the Bates trade gives the front office another Day 2 selection in 2027.
The Falcons also made a financial adjustment to complete the move. Jacksonville’s official announcement confirmed that Atlanta restructured Bates’ contract before the trade, addressing the salary hurdle that had complicated potential deals.
Bates, 29, is in the final season of the four-year contract he signed with Atlanta in 2023 and can become an unrestricted free agent next offseason.
Stefanski Names Jessie Bates III Replacement for Falcons
Bates’ departure leaves Atlanta with a significant hole in its secondary, and Stefanski already has a player in mind to help fill it.
“Obviously, DeMarcco [Hellams] is the next man up that we feel really good about,” Stefanski said.
The Falcons now have three safeties on their active roster: Hellams, Xavier Watts and Sydney Brown. Watts has started alongside Bates, while Brown has also spent time playing nickel cornerback.
Bates started all 60 games he played for Atlanta after arriving in 2023. In that span, he recorded 14 interceptions and 11 forced fumbles and earned All-Pro honors twice. He also was selected to the Pro Bowl in his first season with the Falcons.
The Jaguars, meanwhile, are 6-2 and needed secondary help after losing safety Eric Murray to a season-ending elbow injury. Bates gives Jacksonville an experienced addition for its playoff push as Atlanta prepares to find out what it has in Hellams.
Falcons’ Kevin Stefanski Pushes Back on Concerns After Jessie Bates Trade