Jeff Ulbrich is blessed with the personnel he gets to work with as the defensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons. He has two defensive cornerstones off the edge in Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., has done the lord's work with the LB room, and has developed young studs all over his defense.
Between Walker, Pearce, Brandon Dorlus, and Zach Harrison, the defensive line gets most of the attention after their franchise record 57 sacks in 2025. Meanwhile, the Divine Deablo is still one of the unit's most important player, but the talent the Falcons have at DB isn't getting enough love. Until now.
The cornerback room is still a work in progress, but the safety tandem of Jessie Bates III and Xavier Watts is the heart of this defense, and Ulbrich knows it. While addressing the media after OTAs, the 49-year-old referred the duo not only as the best in the NFL, but "the best one I've ever been around."
Jeff Ulbrich thinks the Atlanta Falcons have the best safety duo in the NFL
It's not a surprise, but that's still some some major praise. Ulbrich has been an assistant coach for over 15 years now, and he's worked with some elite defenders. He's mainly coached linebackers, but he also spent time in Seattle with the Legion of Boom but before it was a thing, so he knows a thing or two about elite safeties.
While Watts and Bates may not get the same respect as Earl Thomas III and Kam Chancellor do, Ulbrich knows the Dirty Birds have something special brewing on the back-end. But the more important thing is keeping Bates in Atlanta, as he's entering a contract year and has been floated in trade rumors. But he's made it clear he wants to retire a Falcon.
The Notre Dame product was a Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist who tied for second in the NFL with five picks in 2025, but he also came through with 11 pass breakups and nearly 100 total tackles. He confirmed last year that he's the future of this secondary regardless of what happens with Bates.
As for the 29-year-old, he hasn't missed a game across his three seasons in Atlanta. He added three interceptions and fell just short of 100 tackles in 2025, which was somehow the worst statistical season he had with the Falcons. But part of why Watts excelled is because he had an elite mentor.
In terms of ranginess, instincts, and IQ, the Falcons are second to none at the safety position. It's only a matter of time before Watts is in conversations with the best safeties in the NFL like Kyle Hamilton, Brian Branch, and Antoine Winfield Jr., while his partner-in-crime is a three-time Second Team All-Pro.
The safety position is considered obsolete, but it compensated for Atlanta's lackluster cornerback room. And just like Ulbrich, we should be lucky to have this duo patrolling our secondary on Sundays for years to come.
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