The Jacksonville Jaguars have acquired veteran safety Jessie Bates III from the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a 2027 second-round draft pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick, according to multiple reports citing ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Falcons Trade All-Pro Safety Jessie Bates III To Jaguars
The trade, completed one day before the NFL trade deadline, sends the 29-year-old Bates—currently in the final year of the four-year, roughly $64 million contract he signed with Atlanta in 2023—to a Jaguars team sitting at 6-2 with a three-game lead in the AFC South.1 Atlanta is expected to retain most of Bates’ remaining 2026 salary (reported in the $6.5 million range for the rest of the season) to facilitate the move.
Why Jacksonville Made the Move
The Jaguars needed help in the secondary after placing starting safety Eric Murray on injured reserve earlier in November with a season-ending elbow injury. Bates provides an immediate upgrade in experience, ball skills, and leadership for a defense that ranks near the top of the league in points allowed but has been more vulnerable through the air.
Bates has recorded 28 career interceptions (with at least one in every season), along with 14 forced fumbles and four defensive touchdowns across nine NFL seasons. He is a three-time second-team All-Pro (including 2025) and made the Pro Bowl in 2023, his first year with the Falcons. Through nine games this season he has 60 total tackles, one interception, three forced fumbles, and a fumble return for a touchdown.
Drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round (54th overall) out of Wake Forest in 2018, Bates spent his first five seasons in Cincinnati before joining Atlanta. He has started nearly every game of his career and is known for his durability and playmaking range.
Atlanta’s Perspective
For the Falcons (3-6 after a 34-17 loss to the Bengals in Madrid), the deal represents a calculated sell of a player unlikely to be re-signed in free agency. Under first-year general manager Ian Cunningham, president of football operations Matt Ryan, and head coach Kevin Stefanski, Atlanta is prioritizing long-term roster building, draft capital, and cap flexibility. The team is projected to have significant salary-cap space next offseason and has emphasized building through the draft and the trenches.
Bates started all 60 possible games in his Falcons tenure and produced 14 interceptions and 11 forced fumbles during that span. Younger players such as Xavier Watts, DeMarcco Hellams, and Sydney Brown are now expected to see increased snaps at safety.
Looking Ahead
Jacksonville, which has also dealt with other defensive injuries (including the loss of defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton), may not be done dealing before the deadline as it looks to solidify a Super Bowl-contending roster. Bates can stabilize the back end immediately and could be a candidate for an extension if the fit is strong.
The Jaguars next play at the Tennessee Titans; the Falcons host the Kansas City Chiefs. Bates’ arrival marks one of the more significant defensive moves of the 2026 trade deadline cycle and pairs a proven All-Pro with a team already among the AFC’s top contenders.