Jaguars Acquire Pro Bowl Safety Jessie Bates III From Falcons Before Trade Deadline

The Jacksonville Jaguars acquired safety Jessie Bates III from the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, one day before the NFL trade deadline, in the biggest move of deadline week so far. Jacksonville sent a second round pick in the 2027 draft and a fifth round pick in the 2028 draft to Atlanta for the 29 year old, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported. The trade was confirmed in reporting by TSN, NBC Sports, the Florida Times-Union and USA Today's Falcons Wire.

Bates is in the final year of the four year, 64 million dollar contract he signed with Atlanta as a free agent in 2023. He is set to become a free agent this offseason, and the Falcons were unlikely to sign him again, ESPN reported.

Why Jacksonville made the move

The Jaguars needed a safety. Starter Eric Murray will miss the rest of the season with an elbow injury and was placed on injured reserve on November 3. Backup Caleb Ransaw is also on injured reserve. Jacksonville is 6-2 and holds a three game lead in the AFC South, and the defense has carried much of that start. The Jaguars lead the league in turnover ratio at plus 9 and rank third with 11 interceptions.

The pass defense is the weak spot. Jacksonville ranks 22nd against the pass, giving up 229 yards a game, while the run defense ranks fifth at 89.3 yards a game. Bates has built his career on taking the ball away. He has 28 interceptions in 139 career games, at least one in every season he has played, and 14 forced fumbles. He made the Pro Bowl in 2023, his first season in Atlanta, and has been a second team All-Pro three times.

Jacksonville plays at the Tennessee Titans, who are 1-7, on Sunday. All trades must be finalized by 4 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, November 10.

Why Atlanta sold

Atlanta fell to 3-6 on Sunday with a 34-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid. Bates played his last game for the Falcons in that loss and led the team with 14 tackles, 11 of them solo. Over four seasons in Atlanta he recorded 392 tackles and 14 interceptions in 60 games, including three interceptions returned for touchdowns.

The Falcons are in the first season of a new front office. General manager Ian Cunningham has said he wants to build through the draft, and Atlanta held only five picks in the 2026 draft before this deal. Second year safety Xavier Watts is expected to step into Bates's starting role. Bates posted a short message to Atlanta fans after the trade. "ATL forever grateful," he wrote.

For Jacksonville, the price is real but the need was urgent. A defense that already takes the ball away more than any other in the league just added the active safety with one of the longest interception streaks in football, six days before a division road game and with a playoff run in view.