Jaguars Acquire Safety Jessie Bates III From Falcons

The Jaguars have made a major move ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, landing All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III from the Falcons in exchange for a 2027 2nd-round pick and a 2028 5th-round pick, both teams announced

The Falcons will also pay most of Bates’ remaining salary this season, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Jacksonville enters Week 10 with a 6-2 record and a three-game lead in the AFC South, but the team has struggled against the pass game.

The Jaguars currently rank 22nd in passing defense, allowing 229 yards per game. The secondary also lost starting safety Eric Murray for the rest of the season with an elbow injury.

Bates is expected to replace Murray and provide an immediate boost to Jacksonville.

Through nine games this season, Bates has recorded:

• 60 Total Tackles
• 35 Solo Tackles
• 3 Forced Fumbles
• 1 Interception
• 4 Passes Defended
• 1 Fumble Recovery TD

Bates is in the final year of his four-year, $64M contract and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March 2027.