The Atlanta Falcons aren't necessarily in 'sell mode,' but that may not stop them from making a blockbuster trade or two.
Looking at the roster, Jessie Bates III is one of the first names that sticks out. He is still a productive, coveted player who is entering the final year of his contract. Trading him would save enough money to nab a couple of the many quality veterans still on the market.
FanSided's own Jake Beckman believes the veteran could be dealt. In an article where he listed a trade target for every NFL team, he pitched the idea of the Falcons shipping the All-Pro safety to the desert with the Arizona Cardinals.
"By no means should the Cardinals make any trades," Beckman wrote. "They should wheel out whatever players they have, make it through the season, and hope for the worst. As a matter of fact, I’d argue that they should be trading guys away. If they do go out and make a trade, it should be at safety. If they wanted to grab a relatively high-end safety, they should try to get Jessie Bates from the Falcons."
The Falcons should not try and trade Jessie Bates, especially not to the Cardinals
The Cardinals don't seem like a team that is looking to trade future capital for a veteran, something Beckman mentioned. But who knows what the front office is thinking, especially with that franchise.
And for the Falcons, would they really want to trade him? He is a valuable piece for the backend and has been a turnover machine since signing with Atlanta -- Jeff Ulbrich loves productive defensive backs.
It would be hard to turn down a secondary consisting of Bates, Xavier Watts, A.J. Terrell, Avieon Terrell, and Billy Bowman Jr. Nevertheless, draft picks can talk. The Cardinals aren't necessarily swimming in future picks, holding their own pick in each round of 2027, but they might be in all-in on building through the draft.
That makes them less likely to pull off a blockbuster trade like this. At a bare minimum, the Falcons would demand a second-round pick and more. Potentially, it would take a first-rounder -- something no team would offer unless it is right before the trade deadline.
The Cardinals aren't a team that will trade a Day-1 pick. They need one for next year's quarterback-heavy class. As for the financials, the Dirty Birds would save $13 million in a post-June 1 trade, with dead cap hits of $11.8M and $7.5M in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
That doesn't scream "trade me"; saving $13M while eating nearly $20M in cap is a bitter pill to swallow. But again, he is entering the final year of his deal, and draft capital speaks to new general manager Ian Cunningham.
From Arizona's side, landing Bates would give Arizona a dynamic duo in the backend of their defense with Budda Baker. Those two would combine for nine Pro Bowls and seven All-Pro selections. But he made it clear he doesn't want to leave Atlanta, and the Falcons need a talent like his for more time.
This is a head-spinning situation. You can make an argument for each side to make either decision, but it ultimately makes the most sense for each to decline this proposed trade.
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