The Jacksonville Jaguars didn't waste the opportunity to make a splash at the trade deadline, sending a pair of draft picks to the Atlanta Falcons in return for safety Jessie Bates III.
The trade generally got positive reviews since Bates has been one of the NFL's top safeties in recent years. However, it was a bit shocking to see the Falcons move on from him.
Could it have been because Bates lost a step? Perhaps he wasn't as dominant as he was in past years? We turned to a Falcons expert to learn what the Jags are exactly getting.
The Jaguars are getting a playmaker in Jessie Bates III
Black and Teal reached out to Jason Kandel, who covers the Falcons at Blogging Dirty, to find out what kind of player Jacksonville is getting in Jessie Bates III. Here's what he had to say.
"Jessie Bates is one of the best safeties in football, straight-up," Kandel told B&T. "His calling card is generating turnovers, as he’s currently fifth in the NFL in forced fumbles and has forced a fumble in three of the last four games."
Kandel continued, "But beyond that, he can offer help both on the back end as a ball-hawk and in the box as a tackler. If you need a player to do the dirty work for your defense, Bates is that guy. His presence is able to elevate a secondary, and he’s one of the better locker room players in the NFL as well."
As recently as this past offseason, execs and coaches around the league ranked Bates the fifth-best safety in the NFL because of his penchant for making plays. And based on Kandel's assessment, it doesn't look like that will change in Duval.
A second-round pick in 2018, Bates has 27 career interceptions, and he returned three for a touchdown during his stint in Atlanta the past three years. If he has that kind of impact with the Jags, he's going to take their secondary to new heights.
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What kind of impact will Jessie Bates have for the Jaguars?
The Jaguars lost Eric Murray for the season after he suffered an elbow injury in the win over the Indianapolis Colts. The fact that they traded for Jessie Bates III even though they had Kaevon Merriweather, Rayuan Lane III, and Jalen Huskey in the mix shows that they're serious about their Super Bowl aspirations. The team's brass didn't just want to fill the hole at the position but add upgrades. Jessie Bates III will do just that.
On the other hand, Bates is entering a contract year. He'll have an opportunity to boost his stock and earn a new deal in Jacksonville or somewhere else. But given the Jags' investment in him, it's fair to assume that they plan to keep him beyond 2026.
That said, the Jaguars will cross that bridge at due time. At this moment, they're focused on winning games and prepare to make a deep playoff push. Jessie Bates III will help with that, and if he delivers, a new deal will come.
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