The Atlanta Falcons continued their free agent spending spree Monday, agreeing to terms with former Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates III, sources told ESPN.
The deal, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter, is for four years and $64.02 million, including $23 million in the first year and $36 million over the first two years overall. It makes Bates the fourth highest paid safety in NFL history.
Bates gives Atlanta a top-end safety in the secondary for new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen to go with cornerback A.J. Terrell, whom the team took in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. Bates also offers Atlanta flexibility in the defensive backfield as the team returns both of its starters at safety from last season — Jaylinn Hawkins and Richie Grant.
Bates is the sixth player to either agree to terms or commit to the Falcons on Monday. New Orleans Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata agreed to terms with the team, which also gave Pro Bowl right guard Chris Lindstrom a five-year extension through 2028. The Falcons also traded a seventh-round pick to New England for tight end Jonnu Smith and re-signed punter Bradley Pinion to a three-year deal and fullback Keith Smith to a one-year deal.
Bates, who has started 79 games over five seasons with the Bengals, registered a career-high four interceptions this past season while tallying eight pass deflections for one of the league's most effective pass defenses.
Cincinnati led the NFL in 2022 in opposing completion percentage and held quarterbacks to the third-lowest Total QBR in the league, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. When Bates was the nearest defender, per NFL Next Gen Stats, opponents were held to -8.7 completion percentage below expectation.
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