Falcons Trade Safety Jessie Bates III to Jaguars for 2027 Second-Round and 2028 Fifth-Round Picks

The Atlanta Falcons agreed to trade safety Jessie Bates III to the Jacksonville Jaguars on November 9 for a 2027 second-round draft pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick, ESPN reported, citing sources. The deal came a day before the NFL trade deadline of 4 p.m. ET Tuesday. Bates, 29, is in the final year of a four-year, $64.02 million contract he signed in March 2023, and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Atlanta will pay most of his $6.5 million salary. Jacksonville is 6-2 after a 33-10 win over Baltimore on Thursday and lost safety Eric Murray to a season-ending elbow injury. Cincinnati drafted Bates in the second round in 2018 out of Wake Forest, and he is a three-time second-team All-Pro.

The right-leaning Daily Mail and New York Post both frame it as the opening move of deadline season. The Daily Mail calls it a bombshell, says Jacksonville is still finalizing the deal, and spends most of its space on the Jaguars: Liam Coen's team, the AFC South and No. 1 seed race, Murray's injury, and a note that Jets player Will McDonald IV wants out. The Post cites ESPN's Adam Schefter and Rapoport, and highlights Bates' salary, his 2023 Pro Bowl and his 60 starts in Atlanta, with 14 interceptions, 11 forced fumbles and 392 tackles. The left-leaning CBS News reports the trade as done, calls it a rental, and leads with this season's numbers: one interception, three forced fumbles, 60 tackles, and a 115.2 passer rating allowed. It also notes Atlanta's extensions for Bijan Robinson and Drake London. All agree on the picks, the contract and Jacksonville's record. ESPN and CBS Sports largely match that account.