Entering the season, the Atlanta Falcons had arguably the best safety duo in the NFL in Xavier Watts and Jessie Bates III. They combined for 10 interceptions in 2025 and made each other better, but the days of this duo terrorizing opponents is all but over after Bates was just traded to Jacksonville.
In a pre-trade deadline shocker, the Falcons sent the three-time All-Pro to the 6-2 Jaguars in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick, which means that Watts is the new sheriff in town on the backend as Atlanta looks to priortize youth and pick up extra draft capital.
But the issue here is that the second-year DB gotten off to a shaky start this season after finishing fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting last year. He logged nearly 100 tackles, five picks, and 11 PBUs, but this year, his numbers have taken a dip, as he's picked off just one pass in nine games.
There's no denying Watts has been affected by a sophomore slump, as he's amassed just two pass breakups on the year, so while he's been impactful as a tackler, that's about it. According to Pro Football Focus, his 57.1 defensive grade is 65th out of 95 qualified safeties. For reference, he finished with a 72.1 PFF grade (17th at safety) last season.
But that's the thing: the Falcons felt so comfortable trading Bates because of their belief in Watts to get it together and return to his rookie form. And now that his running mate is gone, they need this gamble to work out as planned.
The Atlanta Falcons traded Jessie Bates because of their belief in Xavier Watts
Atlanta's front office saw what the former Notre Dame standout has the potential to be last season: one of the best safeties in the NFL. Eventually, it was going to be time to let Jessie Bates go and hand him the keys to the secondary, which could turn out to be the ultimate remedy for a down season.
Given Watts he has two more seasons (and the rest of 2026) left on his rookie deal, he'll be more affordable to keep long-term. It's hard to justify paying two safeties big-time money to play a non-premium position, but even with his control, the two elite safety tandem hasn't been working.
What makes the 24-year-old so special is his IQ. He's one of the better mental processors at his position, and you can tell he watches a lot of film with his pre-snap intelligence. However, he's looked slower this season and lost in some zone coverage alignments, which is the reason for the slump.
One of Bates' calling cards is creating takeaways, and that's something the Falcons' defense can expect Xavier Watts to do a whole lot more of. He's already forced two fumbles this season, and once the interception numbers take a climb, he'll return to being one of the NFL's better ball hawks.
The Dirty Birds had the foresight to realize they'd rather roll with Watts, even with the struggles, over Bates. And while the choice to trade Jessie Bates has been met with skepticism, Xavier Watts turned it up a notch down the stretch in 2025, so who's to say he won't do the same this year?
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