The Jacksonville Jaguars are going for it. On Monday, Nov. 9, they traded for Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III, one of the best safeties of the last few years. The deal comes one day before the trade deadline.
The trade
| Jaguars get | S Jessie Bates III |
| Falcons get | 2027 2nd-round pick and 2028 5th-round pick |
| Reported by | ESPN’s Adam Schefter |
Who is Jessie Bates?
- Age: 29
- Honors: Three-time second-team All-Pro
- Contract: Becomes a free agent in the spring
Bates is known for interceptions and big plays from the back of the defense. Before joining Atlanta, he helped the Cincinnati Bengals reach the Super Bowl in the 2021 season.
Why Jacksonville did it
ESPN reported last week that the Jaguars were looking for a defensive playmaker (buyers and sellers). Bates is exactly that.
The timing makes sense:
- Jacksonville is 6-2 and leads the AFC South by a wide margin.
- The defense forced three turnovers in last Thursday’s 33-10 win over Baltimore (recap).
- Adding a veteran safety makes a strong defense even better for a playoff run.
Why Atlanta did it
The Falcons are 3-6 after losing 34-17 to Cincinnati in Madrid on Sunday. With Bates’ contract ending, Atlanta could have lost him for nothing in free agency. Instead, it gets a second-round pick.
Trade grades (our view)
| Team | Grade | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Jaguars | B+ | A proven playmaker for a contender. The risk: he could leave in free agency. |
| Falcons | B | A good return for a player on an expiring deal in a losing season. |
The deadline is almost here
The trade deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 4 pm ET (2:30 am Wednesday in Sri Lanka). The biggest name still out there is Colts RB Jonathan Taylor (latest).
Every deal is in our NFL trade tracker.
Sources: Bleacher Report – Trade deadline live updates, Nov. 9 (Schefter report), ESPN – Trade talks pick up before the deadline, NFL.com – Week 9 what we learned.
