NFL is not only among the most popular leagues worldwide but also among the most competitive ones. Thirty-two teams compete for the title every single year. Most teams come from the United States, but a couple are from Canada as well. In the league’s history, Green Bay Packers are the most successful team, with 13 league titles under their belt. However, we have witnessed the dominance of the Kansas City Chiefs in the last couple of years.
For most of its history, NFL teams were mostly stable and didn’t face many financial hardships. Even when something like this would happen, two or more teams would merge. But, we can see that one team in particular, Atlanta Falcons, faces the challenge. At the end of the 2022 season, the Atlanta Falcons could let out a sigh of relief. After setting the league’s record for dead cap space the year before, the team finally came out of a financial mess that looked like it was about to go bankrupt. Many fans were worried that their favorite team wouldn’t be able to sustain all the pressure that was amassed around them. Fortunately, the club managed to do so.
This was a big reason they traded Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts in 2022 and Julio Jones to the Tennessee Titans the year before. So, the Falcons’ general manager Terry Fontenot had to clean up the team for two years while paying off more than $60 million in dead cap space and not signing many free agents. It is something that occurred a few times during the history of the league. However, the impact of losing Matt Ryan, who was arguably the best player in the rooster, is massive. The club will need to seek a quality replacement.
At the same time, the sale of their best player helped them amass enough money to fill the gaps. Even though the Falcons still have some debt to pay off, this offseason’s free agent budget of $18 million was much more doable than in years past.
During this offseason, the Falcons didn’t have to settle for old veterans or newbies with little experience. Now that the Falcons’ bank account is full again, they were able to sign some important free agents who they think will help the team in 2024. If you go through the list, you will see that some of them have less experience than most players in the league. However, that doesn’t mean that they lack the quality. In fact, this is an opportunity for them to build up the squad from the start and produce high-quality players for the future.
But there is always a chance when a team signs a free agent. Luckily, it looks like Fontenot was smart about whom he signed, choosing guys who were a good fit for the Falcons’ style and a good fit financially. Even so, only one of the players the Falcons signed as free agents could be a risk, and that is the highly regarded safety Jessie Bates III. We can all agree that this is a quality signing. Looking at his past career, you will see some great numbers.
The Falcons’ finances are better now, so they can be more busy in free agency. Signing Jessie Bates III could be seen as both their best and most risky move of the season going by the predictions on bet on nfl games online. We will have to wait and see just how impactful he will be on the team, but there is little doubt he will be among the best ones in the squad. Will this signing help them to be more competitive in the league? Weill has to wait.
Meet the dynamic 26-year-old safety, a true game-changer on the field. Renowned for his remarkable versatility, he thrives in coverage and runs defense situations effortlessly. Sporting an impressive career record of 14 interceptions, 43 passes defended, and an astounding 478 tackles, Bates stands out as a force to be reckoned with.
As the Falcons welcome Ryan Nielsen as their new defensive coordinator, accompanied by a coaching team that values adaptability and versatility, Bates finds himself in the perfect environment to showcase his skills and emerge as a pivotal player for the team.
The risk comes from Bates’s deal, which makes him the fourth-highest-paid safety in NFL history. Bates joined the Atlanta Braves by signing a four-year, sixty-two million dollar deal. This was the biggest contract signed during the Arthur Smith/Terry Fontenot era. You will agree that this represents a risk for a club with financial problems.
Of course, most of them are resolved. But there is no guarantee that some similar problems will not happen again. The coach and managerial staff is confident that signing James Bates III will be a good move in every possible way. From what we know from his career, he will surely be a force to reckon with. It is a good investment indeed.
When a performer gets such a big financial commitment, there is always a certain amount of danger. The Falcons think Bates will play as well as one of the best safeties in the league should. Even though Bates has only missed three games throughout his career, he could still get hurt like any other player in the league.
This could affect his performance, just as it would for any other player. One of the major reasons why he was signed is that he is not known for suffering frequent injuries. Still, that doesn’t mean this cannot happen during the season. As you know, the season is long, and there are many matches every player should go through. It is a big challenge; only top-notch athletes can pull it off.
But there is a bright spot in the form of comfort. Steve Jackson is the new safety coach for the Falcons. In 2020 and 2021, he was Bates’ position coach in Cincinnati. This could comfort Bates and make it easier for him to fit into the Falcons’ defensive plan. Also, Bates can only help a Falcons defense that gave up the eighth-most receiving yards in the NFL last season (231.9).
Knowing the player well and understanding his physical and technical skills will surely amount to something good in the coming years. Some even argue that Bates is the player club’s future team will be built around him. Whether this will happen or not is not known. We will have to see whether the team will be good around in the future. If you ask us, we believe this will be the case.
Ultimately, getting Jessie Bates III is both a huge opportunity and a big risk. The Falcons hope that his skill, toughness, and friendships with some of the coaching staff will outweigh any potential problems, making him a useful asset for the team’s future success. Sometimes gambling with signings like this can produce many good things.
