With Jessie Bates III reportedly heading to Jacksonville in exchange for a 2027 second round pick and a 2028 fifth round pick, the Atlanta Falcons suddenly have a major hole to fill in their secondary… And one player who could benefit from the move is fourth year safety DeMarcco Hellams.
Now entering the final stretch of his rookie contract, Hellams could finally get the chance he's been waiting for. And depending on how he performs, it might be enough to keep him in Atlanta beyond this season.
After the trade was made, Kevin Stefanski spoke to rporters on Monday, where he confirmed who "the next man up" will be: Hellams.
"Obviously, DeMarcco [Hellams] is the next man up that we feel really good about," Stefanski said."
DeMarrco Hellams has an opportunity to prove himself down the stretch
Through nine games this season, Hellams has played just 24 defensive snaps, including 13 in the Week 4 blowout win against the New Orleans Saints.
However, the Jessie Bates trade changes things. Atlanta's published depth chart lists him directly behind Bates, and he previously received opportunities with the first-team defense during training camp when he (or Xavier Watts) were unavailable due to some lingering injury concerns.
Of course, being listed behind Bates doesn't automatically mean Hellams will inherit his starting job. Sydney Brown could also get himself a bigger role, but he will still split his time between the nickel and safety--and when he played safety in Philadelphia, he wasn't very effective..
But giving the 2023 seventh-round pick more opportunities over the remaining eight games would make plenty of sense, particularly considering how little Atlanta has seen from him on defense over the past few seasons.
DeMarcco Hellams' future with the Falcons could be on the line
What makes this situation even more interesting is DeMarcco Hellams' contract.
The 25-year-old is on the final season of his rookie deal and considering his limited defensive contributions since 2023, it's difficult to imagine Atlanta making him much of a priority in free agency based on what he's shown so far--especially given his inability to stay healthy.
That's why the next eight games could be so important. Hellams has already demonstrated that he can contribute on special teams, but the Falcons need to determine whether he can handle a bigger defensive workload. With Bates gone, they finally have an opportunity to find out.
There's also the matter of Sydney Brown, who is approaching free agency himself. Brown has played roughly 35% of Atlanta's defensive snaps this season, giving him a significant advantage over Hellams in terms of recent experience.
So Hellams certainly isn't guaranteed anything. But the Atlanta Falcons have little reason to avoid evaluating their younger DBs with the season already slipping away. And for a guy who's spent much of the past three years waiting for another meaningful opportunity, the timing couldn't be better.
Now the Alabama product doesn't necessarily have to become Atlanta's next Jessie Bates to earn another contract. If he can prove he's capable of contributing regularly on defense while maintaining his special teams value, that alone could give the Falcons a reason to bring him back.
And if Atlanta ultimately decides to move in another direction, a strong finish could at least help Hellams attract interest elsewhere.
Either way, the Bates trade has given him something he hasn't had much of lately: a legitimate chance to show what he can do before his contract expires.
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