The bad news for the Atlanta Falcons is that they are an overall mediocre team coming off of a disappointing 8-9 2024 season. The good news is that they do have some elite talent at several key positions. And, based on a recent ESPN Top 10 list, safety is one of those positions and Jessie Bates III ranks No. 4 in the NFL.
Jeremy Fowler’s “Execs, coaches, scouts rank NFL’s top 10 safeties for 2025” list polls numerous league sources and utilizes their input to form rankings by position.
“A reminder of the rankings process: Voters gave us their 10 best players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average and dozens of interviews, with research and film study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen,” Fowler explains.
Up one spot from No. 3 last season, Fowler says that Bates has been one of the better free-agent acquisitions in the NFL in the last few years.
“Bates is a prime example of how free agency is supposed to work,” Fowler writes. “The Falcons gave him a four-year, $64 million deal two offseasons ago, and he has rewarded the team with 10 interceptions and 21 pass breakups so far. His 24 interceptions since entering the league in 2018 ranks fifth among all NFL players during that span.”
Bates has shown improvement as a tackler
One AFC executive has noticed that Bates has put in a lot of work to grow as an overall safety. Balls skills are more important at the position than ever, but you still have to hit someone once in a while.
“Bates has always had good ball skills, but his tackling has improved,” the executive said.
“Lack of physicality was a criticism of Bates during his four-year stint in Cincinnati, but he is viewed as more of a complete player now with 234 tackles over the past two seasons,” Fowler continues. “He isn’t afraid to take aggressive angles and try to punch the ball out when tackling.”
Created and popularized by former Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman, the “Peanut Punch” has been incredibly effective tool for defenders the last 20 or so years. A well-placed haymaker can knock a ball loose and create a fumble – as long as it doesn’t cause you to miss tackles. Another former Bear did something similar. Dick Butkus was notorious for tackling a ball carrier with one arm and stripping him with the other.
Check out more on the “Peanut Punch,” because it’s summertime and your boss left for the day and won’t know you’re watching the origins of Tillman’s play.
Bates has taken on more of a leadership role with the Falcons
If it doesn’t bother the Cincinnati Bengals that Bates has blossomed into a high-end safety in Atlanta, it should. Bates joined the Falcons as a free agent in 2023 and in case you hadn’t noticed, the Bengals defense could really use him about now. And not just for his football skills (which they absolutely need), but also for his leadership role that could have helped soothe a grumpy Bengals locker room. Maybe.
“I think he’s come into his own as a leader there, which has helped his confidence as a player,” an NFC scout said. “There’s a symbiotic connection there between him and the coaching staff and he’s been able to be more of a dual-phase playmaker more consistently.”
The Bengals’ loss is the Falcons’ gain. And, Bates is exactly the kind of player that would benefit tremendously from an improved Atlanta pass rush. They drafted two pass rushers in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft and added defensive end Leonard Floyd in free agency. If they can get to the quarterback more often and more efficiently, Bates should be able to add to his 10 INT total the last two years.
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