The Atanta Falcons enter Week 9 sitting at 3-4 after having dropped two straight games against beatable opponents. The team that stunned the Bills on primetime looks like a distant memory, and the growing offensive ineptitude is threatening to derail the Falcons' momentum going forward.
Amid the ongoing skid, players in the locker room aren't losing hope. Despite injuring his knee in the 34-10 loss to the Dolphins, star safety Jessie Bates III should be on track to play against the Patriots, and he was self-aware about the Dirty Birds' recent struggles while addressing the media.
Bates: We haven't been consistent at all. I think we can play with anybody in this league. #Falcons
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) October 30, 2025
Since signing a four-year deal with Atlanta during the 2023 offseason, Bates has quickly emerged as one of the most respected leaders in the locker room. The 28-year-old is in his third consecutive season as a team captain, but as the end of his contract nears, he could be floated in trade rumors.
Falcons have no reason to trade Jessie Bates III before the trade deadline
A Bates trade before Tuesday's deadline is highly unlikely, but you can never say never in this business. If Terry Fontenot is offered a late first or early second-round pick in exchange for the two-time Second Team All Pro, he'll be forced to seriously consider.
With that said, the 2018 second-round pick out of Wake Forest has seen his role for Atlanta's defense change this season. Under new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, Bates has been playing closer to the line of scrimmage, which have exposed some of his issues as a tackler.
Part of why he's been having a down year is becuase of the emergence of third-round rookie Xavier Watts, who took Bates' place as the "center fielder" in Ulbrich's scheme. And moving the veteran around the formation has been an odd fit, but he's produced nonetheless.
The former Pro Bowler remains on pace for his third straight 100-tackle season, but hasn't been the same game-wrecker we're used to seeing on the back-end. After recording 10+ passes defensed in back-to-back seasons, the change has Bates yet to record a single pass breakup on the year.
The numbers may not jump off the page, but JB3's willingness to mentor the rookies and hold teammates accountable has been invaluable to sparking the Falcons' defensive turnaround. For a younger unit, he often remains the voice of reason, and his impact has been felt once again in 2025.
TThrough eight weeks of the season, the Dirty Birds lead the NFL in pass defense and are second in total defense—and Bates has been a big reason why. He's never really been considered a realistic trade target, but every time he addresses the media, his value and leadership are being seen.