The Atlanta Falcons were in a weird position before the trade deadline. They could've been buyers and committed to winning this season, or sellers. They needed to pick a direction, and shortly after the Week 9 loss to the Bengals, the Falcons made the biggest statement they possibly could have.
In a Monday morning shocker, Atlanta traded star safety Jessie Bates III to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. Bates had been playing out of his mind, so even though he's in a contract year, it was going to take a better return a comp pick for letting him walk to get it done, so Ian Cunningham had no choice but to take the Jags' Godfather offer.
It's evident now that even with the NFC South wide open, the 3-6 Falcons would like to offload assets in Cunningham's first trade deadline as the general manager. But Bates was by far their most valuable (and coveted asset) before the deadline, so trading him will be easier than some of their other guys.
However, that doesn't mean they won't try. This team absolutely isn't done, so let's dive into who could be following Bates out the door leading up to the trade deadline.
Who is next on the chopping block for the Atlanta Falcons after the Jessie Bates trade?
CB Mike Hughes
Between Mike Hughes and C.J. Henderson, the odds of the Dirty Birds trading one of their cornerbacks before the trade deadline seem awfully high. But I would venture to say that Henderson (who is younger and has been better this year), has more merit to stick around long-term.
That means that with all of the cornerback depth Atlanta has, Hughes is on the chopping block. The 29-year-old has struggled at points this season, especially in coverage, but ever since he's moved to the nickel he's been better. That's because he's a better as a run defender than he is in coverage, but given he has the versatility to play inside and out, contending teams should be interested in him.
Yesterday, Billy Bowman Jr. was a surprise healthy scratch against the Bengals, and I have a theory as to why. From my perspective, it wasn't because Bowman is on the block, but because Hughes is, and the Falcons wanted to give him extra playing time in order to get more out of him in a potential trade.
It would more than likely be another Day 3 pick, but Hughes' departure would open up more snaps for Bowman and rookie Avieon Terrell.
LB Divine Deablo
If we're following the themes that the Jessie Bates trade showed us, the Falcons are looking to trade players in contract years they aren't going to bring back, especially ones at positions where they already have players they trust to step up. Sound like anybody? Divine Deablo can very well be next.
Like Bates, Deablo is also in a contract year and is unlikely to be extended. For one, he missed two straight games due to a forearm injury and has popped up on the injury report all year. For two, he has not returned the same player he was prior to his IR stint last season, which has made him expendable.
Atlanta has rookies Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. who have both impressed in his absence. Given both Daniels and Perkins look like long-term defensive starters and there are a lot of teams who could want an athletic, 28-year-old LB, it's better to deal him now if he won't be back in 2027.
QB Tua Tagovailoa
I am much more confident in these first two deals happening, but Tua Tagovailoa is always an option for the Falcons to trade. He's been popping up in trade rumors ever since Michael Penix Jr. returned, and since he seems to have the starting job on lock, it could mean Tagovailoa may be on the move.
It's safe to say the Tua experiment has failed miserably in Atlanta, as he threw a brutal interception on one of his only pass attempts of the season. Besides, it never made sense to back up one injury-prone QB with another, and the recent Andy Dalton signing feels like a lack of faith in Tagovailoa to back Penix up. Adding backup competition is proof of just how far the once-mighty have fallen.
I highly doubt there is any sort of market for Tua Tagovailoa, especially due to a lack of QB injuries, but that won't be because of a lack of effort. He can still be a quality backup in the right situation, so Cunningham getting a seventh-rounder in return would be a win.
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