When people talk about the Atlanta Falcons, they mention new head coach Kevin Stefanski. They also talk about president of football Matt Ryan and quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. However, we are forgetting one important name.
Safety Jessie Bates.
The Indianapolis Colts are facing an important year. They traded two first-round picks for Sauce Gardner. The Falcons are also in a key year. This is their third year with starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
This is an offseason move that is built around one great player-coach connection, and another financial move.
*Prediction*
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From the Colts’ perspective, this is about maximizing an already strong secondary. Camryn Bynum has proven himself as a quality safety who can cover, tackle, and communicate effectively on the back end.
Pairing him with an elite free safety like Bates would give Indianapolis one of the best safety duos in the AFC. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo worked closely with Bates during their time together in Cincinnati from 2018-2022. Here’s something Lou mentioned about Bates’s ability:
“I lean on Jessie a lot, easy guy to communicate with. He’s really turned himself into a true professional. Certainly a guy we’d love to have back. He’s done so many great things for us in the secondary and our whole defense, being a captain. I think the world of him. He knows that”.
That familiarity means Bates would step into Indianapolis already knowing how Anarumo wants to deploy him, and this would bolster a unit to become similar to that of the great NFL teams like how the Seattle Seahawks had success with a quarterback like Sam Darnold.
Jessie Bates Stats and Contract
Bates ended the 2025 season with 98 total tackles, three interceptions, and six pass deflections. He also held opposing quarterbacks to a 56.3% completion rate in coverage. This marked the third time in his eight-year career that he has stayed below 60%.
Bates played every game for the third season in a row. He has missed only three games in his whole career. This shows how reliable he is.
Contractually, Bates is signed to a four-year, $64.02 million deal with Atlanta, carrying an average annual value of roughly $16 million with significant guaranteed money. While it’s a sizable contract, it aligns well with a contending team willing to pay for elite secondary play.
Why Atlanta Should Trade Jessie Bates
The Falcons are entering a 2026 restructuring phase, having already hired Kevin Stefanski as head coach and Matt Ryan as president of football. In situations like this, veteran players who may not align with the next competitive window can become trade candidates.
That’s especially true with Xavier Watts, the Falcons’ second-year safety, emerging as the long-term answer on the back end. Watts has flashed high-end instincts and ball production, positioning himself as the safety of the future in Atlanta. With Watts ready for a bigger role, moving Bates for assets could make sense organizationally.
Another factor is that Bates is in the final year of his contract, and giving Bates a 2-3 year extension is not worth the amount of cap that he would receive.
Final Thoughts
The Colts could make a big move by getting Jessie Bates. This would bring him back with Lou Anarumo. It likely wouldn’t cost more than a third or fourth round pick. Bates is in the last year of his contract. This is a move that could take the Colts into legit Super Bowl contenders.